Losing Control
by Well-Well
Summary: ChrisBorus. Chris begins to lose control over her True Water Rune when she needs it most. But what turmoil wreaks havoc on the countryside this time? Just the threat of total annihilation by the last person anyone would expect. Complete.
1. Lost Control

This is a reposting of this story for those of you who may have missed it. At 81 reviews and 17 chapters with 48164 words, and 4243 hits, I'm very proud of this story. I hope those of you who have never read it before enjoy. Following this chapter, new review responses, if any, will be posted at the end of each new chapter rather than the beginning, for the reason that at the beginning are where review responses from the original posting are.

Another reason I am reposting this story is simply because I have developed the sequel, which I hope those of you who have read this before will enjoy. It involves many things from the first story. Therefore, I am giving any of you interested in the sequel a chance to refresh your memory, and new readers a chance to… read. The sequel will be posted following the re-posting of this story, all 17 chapters. Again, comments, suggestions, all will be heard, though I doubt I would change anything in this story other than grammar mistakes.

Remember, read, enjoy, and dream. I hope this story is inspiration for others.

Oh, and it starts out a little stiff. Stick with it, I promise it gets good. In my opinion, anyway…

Takes place soon after the Second Fire Bringer war. Enjoy!

………

Chapter 1: Lost Control

The pale reflection in the water stirred in the breeze that disturbed the peace of Budehuc Castle. The owner of the reflection stared into the water with empty eyes. She was deep in thought and did not notice the knight staring at her from a couple yards away. He approached slowly, not wanting to disturb the serene sight before him. But he knew that his duty was more important than his own wants.

"Milady." He spoke quietly so as not to disturb her. She brought her head up, rigid for a moment. But within the second, she calmed herself again.

"Yes, Borus?" she said, without turning around.

"Pardon my disturbance, but it seems the Council has sent a message of great importance." He shifted.

She turned around now, and Borus was met with the stern face and empty eyes of his captain. "How important is it?"

"I do not know the message myself, milady, but Salome was… not happy."

"Than whatever it is cannot be good."

"Aye," he nodded. Chris took one last look at the sea, then followed Borus toward the meeting room, her armor _clinking_ on the stone path.

Borus stole a glance at the woman behind him, only to see her stern face lost in thought, watching the ground beneath her. Her eyes did not mark the pavement; rather, they looked through it to a world unseen by those other than she.

The meeting room was empty of furniture except for seven chairs situated in a circular fashion, and an eighth behind an oak desk. The Knight of Gale, better known as Percival, stood when they entered the room.

"Milady, Borus," he greeted, pointing to two chairs at his right. Other than Percival, Chris, and Borus, the room contained Roland, Leo, Salome, and Louis. Salome, appearing to be in an uncommon bad temper, waved a scroll of paper in front of him.

"Milady, this note from the council just came in."

"As Borus told me," nodded Chris.

"What does it say, already?" came Leo's gruff voice.

Salome cast a glare in his direction, then continued, "It states that Lady Chris is to ride directly to Vinay del Zexay in a summons to the Council to discuss war methods on attacking the Grassland."

"What?"

"That's ridiculous," growled Borus, standing to prove his point.

"We've just finished a war with the Grasslanders, and went through Hell to sign a treaty that both the Grasslanders and the Council agreed on!" Leo fumed, smashing his armored fist against the wall.

"The very idea of going to war with them after all we've been through is sickening," Salome agreed. "But enough complaining. What shall we do?" Everything was silent as all eyes turned to Chris. She sat with her eyes closed, thinking.

"I'll go," she spoke, after a minute. "I will hear them out. But if they truly insist on going to war with the Grasslanders, they will receive a steady refusal."

"Who will you take with you, milady?" Salome asked, wiping a few strands of hair from his eyes. He was obviously not in the best of moods.

"Borus, Leo, and of course Louis. I want the rest of you to remain here and keep watch for any orders from the Council. Let no one read them, and do not act until my return, no matter what the order is. As for the message you carry now, Salome, burn it."

"Milady?" Percival said, surprised.

"Should that message fall into the wrong hands, war will rage again." She explained, standing. Percival nodded in sudden understanding.

"Right away, Lady Chris."

……

It was late morning when the group of four left for the Zexen Forest.

They arrived at Vinay del Zexay later that day. After the horses were stabled, and Louis and Leo went off to the inn to rent rooms for themselves, Chris and Borus decided to go see if the Council would accept her at the late hour.

"I'm sorry, milady," said the marshal at the door of the great hall, "but the Councilors have all gone home."

"This early?" questioned Borus.

"Yes, Lord Borus. They have been stressed lately by a particular problem, and decided to take the rest of the day off to relax."

"Lazy basta…" Borus whispered under his breath. The marshal looked to him.

"Pardon, Lord?" Borus shook his head.

"Hmm…" Chris sighed. Borus could practically see her eyes itching to roll. "Very well. We will speak with them tomorrow…." _Though I do wonder, if this was so urgent, why did they not wait for us?_ The two turned and left the large building, wandering aimlessly down the street. Borus took advantage of their being alone to ask a few questions.

"Milady…"

"Hm?" came her reply.

"It… it was just an observation, but…" he started, his eyes showing he had thought carefully about what he would ask. "You have been distant, lately, milady… is all well?" He did not notice he was holding his breath.

Chris looked up at the sky, almost longingly. Then she looked at Borus and smiled. "I see your concern, but do not worry about me. We have more… bothersome things to worry about, now."

He looked into her eyes, and saw the usual hard, kind stare. But beyond them, he saw sorrow and pain, mixed in with the emotions she never let out. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked back into his. He finally said, "It is not selfish to worry about yourself, if I may say so, but it is, if you only worry about others, and do not let others worry about you." He looked down as though ashamed of the words he spoke, but his gaze remained firm. Chris was too shocked to say anything, and only watched him.

She almost failed to notice the slight movement and flash of steel coming from the alleyway behind him.

"Look out!" she cried, drawing her sword. Borus whirled around to come face to face with a blade flying toward his throat. But Chris was faster than the blade bearer. She pushed herself in front of Borus and brought up her sword just in time to block the attack. Then she launched into her own advance, pushing the unknown person into the wall of a building.

"I surrender! I surrender!" the man shrieked. Chris put her blade up to his throat.

"Who sent you and why are you here?"

"Milady!" Borus called. She turned her head slightly to look at him. Five other men had appeared, forming a circle around the two knights of Zexen. The first man took advantage of her surprise and escaped. Chris jumped backward and got ready for an attack, standing back to back with Borus, who had his sword ready as well. The men blocked all escape from their circle with their swords. Each were dressed in the same black outfit, similar to the ones Hugo had once described in a story of his travels to the caverns northeast of Vinay del Zexay.

"What is it that you want?" Borus asked, his rage building.

"We have come for the True Rune," said a tall man who seemed to be the group leader, represented by a white sash tied to his arm. "Give it here and we may let you live." His accent was slightly Harmonian.

"What rune?" Chris asked, all too knowing that they were talking about her True Water Rune.

"Don't play dumb, _Captain_, it's not yer style," spoke the leader assailant.

"Hold your tongue, knave. Talk not to Lady Chris that way." seethed Borus.

"I'll talk to trash the way I want to," he said mockingly. Borus's eyes flashed. "We're not here for Zexen small talk, miss," said the man, turning back to Chris, "so just hand over that rune, and we'll be on our way."

"I would never give such a thing up to the likes of you. In fact, it comes in handy sometimes." She closed her eyes and summoned the power of her True Rune, calling for its most powerful attack. Storm clouds began to block on the late afternoon sun. She had had very little practice with the rune, but she had made sure to use it every once and a while. Her hand glowed blue and bits of energy began to circle around her. She muttered an incantation under her breath. But something was wrong.

Chris cried out as her right hand began to spark with bluish energy. _What… what is going on? _Wind began to howl and rain poured down from the dark clouds. The attackers backed away from Chris as the bluish energy began to spread around her like lighting. Borus just managed to leap out of the way of a bolt that struck the ground near him. The bluish energy spread across the ground like writhing snakes and coiled up the attackers' legs, stopping them in their tracks. Their feet began to freeze, the ice traveling up their legs, to their torsos, and up to their neck. Their screams echoed off the surrounding walls to form one endless wail. When their heads were frozen over, the ice suddenly burst into millions of tiny shards, cracking the six men's bodies like glass. Red spilled in all directions.

Then the storm disappeared, the rain stopped. But dark clouds still hung in the sky. Chris had collapsed, tendrils of the bluish energy still coursing over her body. Her hand pulsed.

"Uhn…" Chris moaned as she tried to get to her feet. Borus stood, unmoving, staring at the disfigured bodies of what used to be six men. He absently wiped cold blood from his cheek with his thumb. Then, as if suddenly gaining consciousness, he turned and helped Chris up. She shook when standing, but stepped away from his support.

"Mi… Milady… what happened?" Borus asked, wide-eyed.

"I-I don't know…" she stuttered. She looked at the body parts scattered around the street, then at her right hand, and shuddered. Her stomach whirled like a ship on a stormy sea, and she struggled to keep down what was left of her lunch.

"Milady!" came a gruff call from down the street. Both Leo and Louis were running towards them. Townspeople were looking out of windows, passerby staring.

"Milady," Louis said as soon as he was close, "wh-what happened?" He turned away from the carnage.

"The rune…" she said, still looking at her hand. "I… lost control of the rune."


	2. Figuring Her Out

Widower: Thanks a lot ! I'm glad you liked it.

ladyk: You'll see… happy you enjoyed it.

Captain Spam: But what if it _wasn't_ the council who sent the message?

Quadrono: I hope it turns out good… thanks for the advice.

Lily (Lena) Evans: I'm not the best speller out there, but at least I try. Thanks for the review.

Thanks for the reviews. If I were rich, you'd all get some money!

………

Chapter 2: Figuring Her Out

Chris stared down blankly at her right hand. Borus stood near her, waiting to be of some assistance. They were in the dimly lit dinning hall of Vinay del Zexay's most popular tavern. All the customers were gone, and the room seemed unnervingly quiet.

Leo and Louis stood by the door. The only noise, other than the clink of armor as someone shifted, was the scratching of the Marshal's pen.

"And that's what happened?" The Marshal's voice disturbed the silence like a shockwave. "Are you sure these men attacked you first? And you only acted in self-defense. Is there anything else I should know?"

_You could take the hint and get lost_. The Council's Marshal had been questioning them for hours, and Borus's patience was running thin. He only wished for the Marshal to leave Chris alone.

Chris shook her head.

"Are you certain? Because I need a full report for––"

"She's positive," Borus said, barely holding himself back from strangling the man. Chris shot him a grateful smile, though he could easily tell it was forced.

"Aye, Milord," nodded the Marshal, not seeming to notice the scowl on Borus's face. The scowl followed him until he left the tavern, its door closing with a ring of the bell attached above the doorframe. Leo let out a sigh.

Louis looked at his boots uneasily. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Chris stared at her lap. She grimaced quite suddenly, but went right back to staring. Borus had the urge to reach out and comfort her, to do something, anything that wound make her feel better. He knew that her rune was causing her pain, as all True Runes do, but he barely noticed when it did. She hid her pain so well that people would never suspect.

But Borus knew. He would see the slight twist of her expression or hear a falter in her words. He could feel the air around her tighten as a wave of pain struck. No one else seemed to note it, because it was so slight and passed in but a second.

But now, the rune was causing her pain both physically and mentally, and maybe already had been.

"Milady," he said, moving to her side and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you should get some rest. It has been a long day." He knew it was a gross understatement. She nodded, and, quite to his surprise, let him help her up.

"I think Borus is capable of walking you home, Milady. We'll turn in." Leo said, moving toward the stairs with Louis in tow. The big knight paused on the first step, looking at Chris, but continued a moment later.

Borus waited for her to lead the way, but after an awkward moment, he realized that she was not going to move. On whim, he grasped her by the shoulders, and steered her, like he would a child, into the crisp night air. She made no objection as he took a detour down a street going the opposite direction of her estate, and still said nothing when he led her to an empty beach a little ways out of town. He stopped there and, reluctantly, let go of her shoulders. He could tell she was in another world by her phased out expression.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Borus yawned deeply, and she looked around her with curiosity. It was a tiny spot, seemingly untouched by any living being. The sand was soft, and warm water lapped at the tiny shore. A crescent moon lit the sand like sparkling gems. Borus seemed to be very familiar with the spot.

"Why did you take me here? Something you wish me to see?" she asked, her face still sullen with memories.

"In a way," he said, playfulness overriding his normal seriousness. He made her sit down about a foot away from the lapping water, a boyish grin spreading across his face. "I used to come here as a child, Milady, but only by myself." He carefully sat down next to her, loosening a strap on his armor to be comfortable. "It does not look like anyone has found it yet."

Chris looked at Borus, almost stunned. He had never shown her his playful side, only his serious, protective side. She was used to an occasional funny comment made by him, but he never acted upon it. It was almost like seeing Roland laugh at one of Percival's jokes. Almost.

"I would like to start with a good memory, if you do not mind." He leaned back on his elbows. "Do you remember the one morning all those years ago, when Percival came…" He paused, waiting for her to remember.

"––Into the meeting room, not wearing any pants…" she finished for him, a small smile appearing on her lips.

"You were so flustered that you closed the door in his face and slipped a note under the door, though I remember not what it said." Chris shook her head.

"'Become decent, good knight, for polka-dots on even underwear are not in the meeting room dress code…'" She stared at the sky, eyes unfocused, remembering Leo's incessant laughter and Salome shaking his head, and Borus with a huge smile on his face as he listened to the ranting Percival walk from the meeting room. More memories emerged. She welcomed them.

"And that time when you and I found Leo passed out on the stable floor. You asked him what happened, and he said, 'I met a woman… and what a woman…' " Chris tried to impersonate Leo's rough voice, earning an amused chuckle from Borus.

"And you said, 'What are you talking about?'" Borus added.

Chris's smile widened as she continued. "Mmm, and then that woman with the accent came and yelled, 'You de' one! You de' one who feed my hoss beer! You try and ride her! I glad she kick you' ass befoe' any 'ting happe'!'" She paused. "Too bad her rolling pin was not bigger; it might have knocked some sense into him." Borus chuckled at this.

Chris could not help but laugh in hindsight. The very idea of Leo and a horse… "And," Borus continued, "remember the night when Louis refused to having milk instead of wine, and we got him so drunk that he began to sing?"

The memory of the horribly out of tune song bouncing off the chamber walls slightly warmed Chris. "'I'm hic a lit-tle tea-hic-pot, short-hic-and stout,' " Borus sang, imitating the drunken swaying Louis displayed and as he tried to 'pour tea' into Roland's glass, eventually knocking it over.

Laughter like a welcome rain began coming from Chris's mouth. She almost thought it was not her, and was surprised when she realized it was. She was laughing so hard while trying not to laugh that she began to choke, and Borus, laughing as hard as she wanted to, only laughed harder as she struggled to get air in her lungs. Chris placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself from all her hacking, only to fall backwards into the sand with him, and they laughed like little children. The laughter eventually died, and was replaced by a content silence.

Chris sighed as her eyes were pulled into the starry sky above. She forgot where she was, her worries. Water rolled onto the shore, every drop luminous with moonlight. Wind whispered in her ears and the sand comforted her sore body. Borus, too, was calmed by their surroundings. He turned his head to gaze fondly at his captain, whose eyes held the same faraway look as at Budehuc. _Fondly? _Borus shook his head to himself. He knew he could not think of his Captain in that way, but he also knew how much he wanted to. He recovered from his inner thoughts.

"Milady?" he spoke, his voice quiet.

"Yes?" she replied, keeping her eyes on the sky above her.

"Do you mind if I ask you something that is, perhaps, rather… personal?"

She seemed to ponder this for a moment, but answered, "No, not at all."

Borus took a moment to word his question, then spoke, slowly at first, "What do you think of when you look at the sky?" Chris was startled by the question.

"I…" her eyes grew distant again as they melted back into the sky.

"You've been doing it a lot lately… If there's something wrong, you know you can talk to one of us, Salome, Percival… even I…" Borus looked at her earnestly, hoping she would answer. Seconds passed, then minutes.

"Please, Chris." More silence.

"You try to trick me, Borus. That it not your real question, is it?" Her voice startled him. He laughed nervously.

"What is your real question?"

Borus looked at her uncertainly, studying her face for something he was missing. "I… I do not mean to be accusing, Milady, but… I believe you know the reason why your rune went out of control." He held his breath, waiting for her to answer.

She sat up, slowly, resting arms on knees and chin on arms. "…Perhaps…" she murmured. "I do not believe I do …"

"Perhaps? You can tell me, Milady. Possibly I could––"

"No."

"But Chris, ah, Milady––" He struggled to get to her, but he was too late.

"No. I cannot. You must understand, Borus, I… I just cannot. I do not know why it has… failed me."

"Very well, Milady," is what Borus would have said, but he stopped himself before his breath forced the words from his mouth. Instead, he sighed, looking over at her.

She looked back at him, and their eyes locked. And in that split second, Borus saw it all. Her happiness, anger, pain, and sorrow. Then he saw something else, something that was bigger than the rest. But before he could make it out, she blinked and looked away.

_That must be it!_ he told himself excitedly. _That is what is bothering her! But what is it?_ He nodded to himself, now knowing that her eyes were not the impenetrable façade he had thought them to be. He would find out, no matter how much prying it would take. He would figure out Chris.

"I understand, Milady." Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "It is getting late, and I was supposed to return you home quite a while ago." Chris nodded, and together, they left the quiet spot on the beach and headed back to the Zexen capital.

Borus shuddered. For some reason, he felt it would be the last time he saw the quiet spot on the beach. He took one last, long look at it, before catching up with his Captain.

………


	3. A Summons and the Dragon

ladyk: Hah. Yeah, I had a story with the boxers thing up a _long_ time ago… but the story stank, so I took it down. I'll give you the first chapter, if you want proof. Thanks for the review.

Captain Spam: Glad you enjoyed it.

pikinanou: You got a hint of the plot already, but it hasn't unfolded… yet…

Rimosa: I'll go as fast as I can!

Widower: Stick with me, cause I can do this!

………

Chapter 3: A Summons and the Dragon

A cloudy day grew from the horizon the next morning. Borus woke groggily for lack of sleep the night before. No few nightmares had plagued him, and he found himself relieved from his consciousness. It was around one at night when Chris and he had returned. But he knew his grogginess was worth it, because he had figured out a way to see into Chris. All he had to do was dig a little deeper.

But now, he had to face the task at hand: getting out of bed.

……

Chris awoke to a strangely pleasant feeling; it had been months since she'd had a good sleep. She would find herself waking throughout the night by a wave of pain or anomalous feeling. But her last night had gone by without any pain.

And she found herself disgusted by the very idea.

_Why_, she thought, _should I sleep well last night after all that happened yesterday evening? _Her question received no answer.

By the time she had pried herself from the bed and pulled on her formal clothing and armor, it was an hour past sunrise. Louis was surprised to be met with a cheerful face of his captain, and cocked his head curiously as she smiled a hello.

"I trust you've slept well, milady?" he asked as she walked up to him in all her grace.

"Oh yes, quite well, actually." He stared after her as she opened the front gate and stepped out onto the cobblestone street. This was not the serious-faced captain he was used to. "Louis, are you coming?"

"Oh… oh, yes, milady!"

The two walked down the street, toward the town gate. It was the normal meeting place of the Six Knights. As they arrived, they found a serious Leo trying to wake up a woozy Borus. Chris was not able to hear everything, but she came into earshot just as the large knight was saying, "––finds you this tired, you're sure to be punished! Didn't you have enough brains not to drink last night? Even I knew better!"

"Leo… I didn't dink any––"

"Captain!" Leo noted Chris coming up the bend, and stood at attention. But he gawked at the fact that she was chuckling.

"Come now, Leo. Be nice to Borus. He had nothing to drink last night."

Leo looked from Chris to Louis, who shrugged, and from Louis to Borus, who smiled knowingly despite the rings under his eyes. A very tiny blush lit the back of his neck, but no one saw.

"…Huh?" Leo's mouth hung open in a gape.

Chris chuckled as she walked to Borus. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she whispered, "Thank you." Borus blushed slightly and mouthed 'you're welcome.' Turning back to Louis and Leo, Chris said, "I think it's time I go see the Council."

"Aye, milady," said Borus, following her back down the cobblestone.

Leo looked at Louis in complete confusion. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but Louis just held up a hand. "I am as clueless as you, Sir Leo."

An attendant awaited her as she stepped into the building. Borus and Leo waited outside, while Louis waited at the bottom of the stairs with Chris's sword. The attendant opened the giant wooden doors at the top of the stairs, and she stepped into the Council room.

"Captain." Councilman Sehnto greeted as she took her seat at the he table. She nodded a reply.

"You wished to see me?"

"Yes. As our summons said, we wish to discuss the bandits attacking our main throughway to Tinto. The attack rate has risen to seven out of every ten travelers and––"

"Hold…" Chris held up a hand, and Councilman Sehnto glared at her. "You mean to say that you did not summon me here to discuss attacking the Grasslanders?" Many of the councilmen sputtered.

"What?" Sehnto cried. He dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief. "What fools do you take us for?"

Chris cocked her head. "We received a summons at Budehuc Castle with your crest stating that you wished to talk about war methods on attacking the Grasslanders."

"Do you think us mad?" asked Councilman Fraunz. Chris wanted to say yes, but stopped herself.

"I only think upon what I receive, and those orders were what I received. You gentlemen, after all, are the only ones with the royal crest of Zexen."

"Then someone intercepted our message and replaced it," said Councilman Geo Girth, one of the councilmen Chris considered sane. "Though I don't see how anyone happened upon our crest."

"It seems so…" she replied. "But about these bandits. I've heard nothing of them. We receive very little news of that area at Budehuc."

"Oh, you must have," said Girth, "Because the people you tore apart with your rune yesterday evening were of the same group."

"I beg your pardon?"

"We were able to tell from the description you gave the marshal. Black clothing, well-crafted sabers, crouching position, their faces hidden, it matches the descriptions attacked travelers gave us," said Councilman Ghent, a more logical, though less considerable councilman. "Also noted, all those attacked were Harmonian, until you, of course."

"But why would trained bandits be attacking travelers? They fight like ninjas, and I am fairly certain we had two help us fight against Luc."

"Indeed," started Fraunz, "we would have liked to ask your attackers the same question. Unfortunately we could only locate one mouth and it was not attached to its owners head." Chris blanched. She knew the councilmen enjoyed her discomfort, but she also knew that the Councilor's previous comment was pushing it. "It is true that some helped us fight Luc, but these ninjas fight differently, as though all of them were taught the same art. They're not from the same league," he finished. Chris nodded.

"We thought the stealing was going to be all they did, but, two days ago, we received a message that they had killed a family of three; mother, husband… and three-year-old child." Girth's eyes narrowed.

"Outrageous!" seethed Chris.

Ghent steepled his hands. "Their bodies were not found. Upon further investigation, we have also discovered that a large number of Harmonians, nearing the thousands, have been reported missing, presumably dead." He paused and waited for the information to sink in. "It is clear that they are after your rune, Captain. We've already sent notice to Hugo of the Grasslanders and Captain Geddo. But both replied they have not been attacked," he said, motioning to two letters that looked as though they had just been opened.

Chris did not hear him. _What type of soldier or man would kill a child?_ She knew the hypocritical nature of her own question, for she had killed the Karyan boy, but could not help asking.

Sehnto seemed to read her mind. "You see our point, Captain, and the urgency of our summons," said Sehnto. "We want you to send some troops to the area where the most attacks have been reported, and try to arrest or dispose of these bandits. We cannot have a valued trade route destroyed like this, nor worry the people of Zexen with the deaths of normal civilians."

"Very well," Chris nodded. "I would do so even if it was not an order." She said her prayer to Sadie, then stood and left.

"So?" Borus prodded as she stepped outside the building. "What happened?"

"The summons we received at Budehuc was a fake."

Leo stepped forward. "But how? The Council's seal is as well protected as––"

"The councilors themselves, yes, I know. Somehow someone stole or replicated it, and replaced the councilor's real message with a fake one, to lure us out here. But there is an even more important matter at hand." She quickly described what the councilors had told her.

"A child?" cried Borus. Chris nodded, understanding his own feelings.

"Bastards…" Leo spat, scowling in disgust.

Chris ignored his rhetoric. "The councilors told me to send a battalion to sort things out, but something tells me I shouldn't."

"Why?" Leo asked, "Why not send a battalion and crush them like the insects they are?"

"The newly elected Councilmen seem rational enough, but I still do not entirely trust them. Instead, we will make a false play."

"What's a false play?" Louis asked. He found himself ignored.

"A false play… brilliant!" Borus said, smiling. "Trust our Goddess to come up with something like that!"

"What's a false––"

"Borus! I am not a Goddess, just a captain," Chris said, sticking a stubborn smile on her face and rolling her eyes.

"Milady, what's a––"

"No doubting it, Borus. She's the Goddess in disguise!" Leo agreed, laughing at how Chris's face was pulled into frown.

"Hey! Someone tell me––" Louis began to grow frustrated.

"Leo!" she said in anger.

"It's only the truth, milady," Borus said, his smile spreading to a wide grin.

"Will someone please––"

"That's it. I am getting my horse ready. Good day, gentlemen."

"Milady, wait!" cried Borus as Chris stormed off. Leo chuckled as Borus ran after her.

"Leo!"

"Huh?" Leo seemed to suddenly remember that Louis was still there.

"What is a false play?" The boy panted.

"False play? It's when you stage an attack by having some people pretend, in our case, to be normal travelers. Then when the bandits ambush us, we'll really be ambushing them with as many hidden soldiers as we feel necessary."

"Oh. Do I get to be in it?"

"I would––" Leo started, but stopped when Borus suddenly came sprinting from around the bend, a terrified look on his face.

"Louis! Leo! Help! The mighty dragon's drawn her sword!"

"I heard that, Borus!" Chris's shout came from around the bend.

Borus smiled and began to run again. Louis sighed and shook his head. Leo just laughed. When his Captain was in a good mood, there would be no end to the foolery. All the knights took advantage of it, he knew, for Chris's moods were variable and most often stern.

Louis scratched his head. "This is going to be a long day…"

Leo shook his head, watching as the two knights in uncommon playful moods ran through the town streets. "I'll say."

………


	4. Bandits

Sorry it took so long. I was really busy.

pikinanou: That's not a bad idea, actually… Fred and Rico… but I'll have to find a place for them to fit in.

Captain Spam: You'll find out what they plan in this chapter, though it's pretty simple.

K'Arthur: Thanks for your help.

Widower: I try and model my characters after the ones in the actual game, but it gets kind of hard after a while…

KS: Glad you liked it.

………

Chapter 4: Bandits

The ride back to Budehuc passed quickly for the three knights and squire. It was only later that night that they left the castle grounds under the cover of dark onto Yaza Plain, accompanied by a battalion of ready knights. The plan was simple, almost too simple for Salome to have agreed with. But Chris eventually wore him down.

Later the next day, the plan had been launched, and Chris, playing a mother, Borus, a father, and Louis, the son, traveled down the worn road to Tinto. They had rented a cart and filled it with old clothing and worthless magic-made jewelry.

"Milady," Louis whispered in her ear, "Are you sure this is going to work?" He had poked his head out from the back of the cart into the driver's seat, where Chris and Borus sat.

"If anything, it will draw the bandits out of hiding. The battalion has hidden itself well up ahead, so we should not need to worry about safety."

"If you say so, milady." He disappeared as he lowered himself into a sitting position.

"I see he is having second thoughts about coming along," chuckled Borus.

"Yes…" Chris took a sidelong glance at him. She remembered all to clearly how he pulled her aside right before they left Budehuc, and in a whisper, he had said, "Be careful tomorrow, Chris." That was all he had said, but his eyes held a passion, a love and longing that she did not understand. And it scared her.

The day grew old and the sun sank lower in the sky. The cart rolled along the dirt road making hardly any noise. All around the threesome was empty grassland, silent as a winter morning.

Chris nudged Borus in the side, the symbol that they had entered the bandits' most frequented area. Borus made a barely noticeable nod, and said as loud as a drunken Leo, "What are we going to do with all these vaaalllluuuaablllessss when we reach Tinto?"

Chris stifled a chuckle and replied in an equally loud voice, "I do not know. There are just tooo many ex-PEN-sive items to know what to do with."

"Perhaps we should give them away?"

"Yes, let's! I have a cousin who would LOVE some FREE valuables!"

"And to think that we have all these RUNES, too."

Borus looked back at Louis and signaled him to say his one line. He shuddered, pink spreading across his face, then said, "M-Mommy, can I sit up front? All of this gold is crowding me!"

A couple seconds later, their little play had proven successful as the armored, black-clad men seemed to appear out of nowhere, hundreds of them. Chris saw them coming and shot a signal into the evening air, a flash grenade she had gotten from Queen in the war. The bandits raced forward, but stopped short as they felt the ground shake. Chris smirked upon hearing their cries of surprise as the Zexen knights dashed from their hiding spots. The battle was on.

Chris leaped from the cart, her disguise falling away like shed skin. She slashed at the enemy closest to her, knocking him unconscious on the second blow. The Zexen knights and bandits were about equal in number, but something was wrong. The ninja-like style of the bandits was overpowering that of the Zexen Knights. Leo, the appointed leader of the battalion, slashed his way through the enemies until he was at Chris's side.

"This is not good, milady!" he called over the din of the clashing steel. "We're being pushed back. There's way too many of them."

Chris half concentrated on the enemy in front of her as she replied, "I am aware of that. We need a––" She stopped as she looked across the plain in horror. Hundreds more black soldiers led by one on horseback thundered towards the road. Borus hacked his way towards them.

"There are far too many! We must retreat!" he shouted.

"Maybe not…" Chris looked down at her right hand. Borus stared at her confused for a moment, then shook his head as he suddenly realized what she was thinking of.

"No! No, milady, you can't! It's too dangerous!"

"We will not survive a retreat, Borus. They were expecting us—they will surly catch us!"

"But milady!"

She gave him a stern look, and he quieted. Leo shifted uneasily, rubbing enemy blood from his face; he had killed no few bandits. She looked at her hand, gave a silent prayer to Sadie, held up her arm, and called once again for her most powerful attack, "Heavenly Drops."

The sky turned grey as storm clouds stretched across the sky. Chris felt the rune begin to find a mind of its own, and fought for control, putting all of her strength into the task. The bandits looked around in uncertainty, giving the knights a temporary advantage. The man on horseback looked directly at her from the other side of the battlefield, and she felt unseeable, non-human eyes driving into her own. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated. A searing pain shot through her arm, just like before. Only now, it was much more painful.

But she refused to lose control and only tried harder. And it seemed to work. The air grew cold, and ice began to burst from the frozen ground throughout the entire battlefield. Chris blocked from her mind the screams let out by the enemy as they were stabbed through their feet and backs, or frozen to death. She pushed the pain away as it became more intense.

A yelp of pain from close by made her eyes snap open. Borus held his left arm, which was bleeding profusely. She quickly realized that a shard of ice had cut it. The attack was out of control.

"Stop, stop!" she cried, grabbing her right hand. The rune sucked energy from her body, causing her to fall to her knees. She fought for consciousness as the rune pulled everything out of her like a vacuum on high. But the rune was too powerful this time. She let out a wheezing breath as she fell to a soggy earth, her eyes closing.

Borus watched in terror as his captain fell to the ground, unmoving. He ran to her side, ready to defend her, his arm hanging at his side. But there was nothing to defend her from. The enemy had either run away… or was dead.

………


	5. Revenge

Sorry for the wait, folks. My computer had a bug for the longest time. Thanks for the reviews!

Rimosa: Cliffhangers add for suspense… I think.

Quadrono: Sorry about Borus. I'm trying to make the mood a little lighter.

Widower: Undying support makes the writer all the happier!

Aeonian: Sorry about the lack of updation (is that a word?)

Captain Spam: Music makes for good inspiration. I always listen to some when writing.

pikinanou: Glad you enjoyed it. Maybe you should drink coffee more often…

Lily (Lena) Evans: Thanks for the support. It makes the world go round!

StickyRice: I'll update more often now… as long as that stupid bug doesn't come back.

………

Chapter 5: Revenge

Dreams plagued Chris. She stood in a dark, vast area, her body lit by some unknown source of light. Then, suddenly, the black she stood on dissipated, and she fell into a roaring ocean, thunder clapping and lightning flashing overhead. The huge waves tossed her around like a ball, and she was pulled under the surface numerous times. She gasped for air as she rose to the water's murky surface, the water turning a tint of red in the lighting's brilliance. She reached towards the sky trying to stay atop the crimson water, her heart pounding as she coughed the substance from her throat. And then, with wide eyes, she realized that it was not an ocean of water…

It was of blood.

The dream ended as swiftly as it came, and she found herself in the same black world as she started in. She put a hand to her chest as she tried to force her heart to relax. Then a mirror appeared in front of her. But this was no ordinary mirror. It showed not her exterior, but what she was. She saw herself, a courageous young woman, a leader to many, and an idol to no few.

And like a mist, the courageousness drifted away. Then she saw what she fought for. She fought for her friends. She fought for Zexen's people. She fought for the land she held in high esteem, the beauty that was Zexen. And that once again floated away to nothing but the raw her. And she recoiled in disgust. She fought not out of courage, not to protect the people and things around her, but to protect herself. To save herself from the misery and torment that had clutched her when her father was proclaimed missing. To hide away her feelings, that if she let these feelings loose, she would feel the hurt and pain all over again. She was afraid losing what she already cared deeply about, afraid to care deeply about anyone and then lose them like her mother and father. She was afraid of losing what she had. And like being struck by lightning, she was finally able to admit to herself what had been bothering her for many years.

"I am losing control…"

……

Chris felt as if a tornado had swept through her head. Her thoughts were jumbled, and her memories were out of order. A continual throbbing pulsed from her right hand, and her head felt foggy and disoriented. It was like lifting anvils as she opened her eyes. She was in a tent, and gladly recognized it as one of her army's. The door flap at the front of the tent waved in a slight breeze from outside, but all else was still.

She took a deep breath, and knowing she would regret it, pushed herself into a sitting position. She gagged, wondering if she would be better off dead. She waited until the feeling of a thousand needles piercing her body vanished before she pushed herself off the makeshift bed of straw. She carefully made her way to the flapping entrance and pushed aside the seemingly two-ton door.

It was bitter cold, but the incessant aching in her right hand explained that. Despite the weather, soldiers hurried about, doing one task or another in the mini encampment that had been set up. She spotted Leo, giving orders to a couple men. Deciding that she was going to talk to him, she set out to do so when a surprised voice came to her left.

"Milady! You're awake?" It was Borus. He stood, erect yet sagging, with a limp arm hanging at his side. She briefly wondered how he had received such a wound when the memory came unbidden. Chris stared at his arm with unspeakable sorrow.

"Borus, I… I am… so sorry." She bowed her head in regret. Why had she not listened to him? Why had she been foolish enough to use the rune? "I should have listened to you. And when I did not…" She trailed off, choking in her own misery. She stooped, knowing of nothing else to do. Then she felt the heat of a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, directly into Borus's eyes… his big brown, passionate eyes.

"I am sorry," she repeated, caught by his eyes.

"I… you… he…she… you are awake… L-Leo!" he called, quickly glancing back at Leo. "Leo, she is awake!"

"_What_?" came his astonished bellow. He ran over as fast as his legs could take him, looking Chris up and down. "Goddess! You must be aching all over!" Chris stared at them both in confusion. Why were they so surprised that she was awake?

"I am fine, Leo. But…" She was cut of as Leo gathered her up in a huge hug.

"You're awake! Borus, she's finally awake!" Chris bit her lip as Leo's crushing hug shot pain up and down her arms.

"Leo! Leo, put her down. She's yet to fully recover," Borus cried, giving him a displeasing look. Leo obliged and set her down with a big smile. Then Borus, too, smiled. "Salome will be glad to hear of this."

"Salome?" Chris leaned back against a tent post for support. "Salome was not on this mission. How long has he been here?"

"A week, milady." Borus answered. "He came as soon as he could."

"Pardon… A week?" Chris gaped.

"Milady, you have been unconscious for two and a half weeks." Borus watched her eyes widen.

"Two and a half weeks…" she repeated in disbelief. "What of the bandits?"

"I would say a tenth of what they came with were able to escape, including their leader." Leo did not look happy. But his frown disappeared and was replaced with yet another beaming grin. "You're awake!"

Chris smiled at his happiness, and was about to comment on just how childish Leo was acting, when her eyes fell upon Borus's bandaged limb. It tore her apart on the inside to know that she was the one who caused him such pain. Her gaze wandered up to his face, and she found that he had been staring at her. A blush crept up his cheek and he averted his gaze.

She did not know what to think. He had been blushing a lot lately, from what she could remember. She suddenly realized how tired she really was, taxed by walking and talking.

"What is our status?" she asked, turning to Leo.

"Our army was mostly undamaged by the bandit attack. No deaths. Just a few injuries here and there." His eyes lingered on Borus's arm. "We had planned to move to Brass Castle, but Salome decided against it after seeing your condition. We thought it better that you rest."

Chris nodded. "Than we shall move out now." Borus gaped.

"But milady! You've not yet recovered; you can barely walk, let alone ride half a day's journey. I strongly suggest we remain here, at least for two days." Chris was about to refuse, but she remembered the last time she had done so. She sighed tiredly.

"We will stay until I am able to travel. For now, I wish to check on the injured… including you," she said, resting her eyes on Borus. "What injuries have befallen your arm?"

"It's nothing, really, milady. Just hit the nerve. It did nothing more. The mender said it would heal in three weeks, and I can already feel my fingers…" Pain choked his features as he flexed his fingers as if to prove that he was okay. Leo rolled his eyes at the pathetic attempt, and Chris's brows drew together in concern. Borus plastered a cheesy smile on his face, and Chris just shook her head and walked toward a tent marked "Infirmary."

After checking with every wounded soldier, all happy to see her awake, she decided to seek out Salome. She found him mulling over a list of supplies. A surprised expression crossed his face as she stepped up behind him. He smiled.

"Glad to have you back on your feet, Captain." The two exchanged formalities, weather, army, situation, and Chris was about to ask of Percival and Roland when a commotion started up outside the supply tent. A soldier ran up to the two, bursting through the entrance flap.

"Milady, Lord Salome, a bandit messenger has just entered camp. He bore this message." The soldier handed her a soiled piece of paper.

'We have your squire. Give us the rune.' There was no signature. Chris dropped the message to the ground.

"Goddess… They have Louis!"


	6. Seven Figures in Black

Alright, this time, I don't have any excuses for the lack of an update. Call it life. Or laziness. Whatever. Here's the next chapter…

But first, reviews. You guys are the greatest! Thanks for all of the reviews:

amanda burton- Of course it's going to end well! My pen name _is_ "Well-Well," after all…

Cathy7- Glad you're enjoying it. And what's a romance without a good, eventful plot?

StickyRice- Thanks for the good luck. Luck always comes in handy.

Widower- Ah, my ever-faithful fan. Glad Chapter Five was a "kick As" chapter.

Captain Spam- Well, well (no pun intended), another loyal fan. Sorry about not updating as often as you wanted me to. I hope to update more now, though I won't give any guarantees. But common! It was the last week of school and life was actually starting to look up. I was too happy to update. And I'll see about adding more Roland…

Lily (Lena) Evans- Hope I won't disappoint you. Glad you like it!

pikinanou- Another faithful fan! Glad you think I write well, though I'm not so sure myself. I've found some really stupid grammar mistakes that I could kick myself for. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this action packed chapter.

Here we go:

………

Chapter 6: Seven Figures in Black

Chris paced with stiff legs back and forth in the supplies tent as she racked her mind for a plan. Salome, too, seemed to have trouble thinking of one.

"Milady, we could send a small battalion and attack them by surprise," offered Salome.

"No," Chris shook her head, her braids swaying to and fro. "They would get to Louis before any of us had the chance." Salome slowly nodded his agreement. A silence overtook the room as Chris stopped pacing, and Salome saw her swift brain working at its max as she formulated a plan. He momentarily reflected on her amazing mind. It worked just as fast as any genius's brain and could always conquer the impossible when the need arose. He did not know in detail how much Chris had studied in school, but her wisdom was easily ten times that of any average woman, or man, at her age.

Her eyes suddenly lit with her brain's approval of an idea, and she turned to Salome with a serious, almost excited expression.

"Salome, how many mages, no matter if they are apprentices, do we currently have in camp?" Salome quickly calculated.

"We've four, milady, though one is currently in the infirmary after–"

"–Putting too much energy into healing me, yes, I know. So we have three…"

"What do you plan to do milady?" Chris's eyes creased with momentary sadness. "Captain?" The look disappeared.

"Salome, what of Percival and Roland? Are they here?"

"We sent for them a couple days before. It seems they ran into trouble with more bandits, but last we heard, they were heading this way today."

"Get one of the men on lookout for them. Tell him to pass this message to them." She quickly scrolled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Salome. "Then fetch Leo and Borus. Quickly, we've no time to lose."

"Aye, milady." Rather than ask questions, Salome hurried from the tent to accomplish his tasks. He trusted his leader more than even himself, especially when it came down to the safety of her soldiers and companions, especially a squire who risked so much to stay by her side. He knew that even though usually Chris appeared to have a rock-hard personality, she was rather a softhearted woman who was always there when needed and would never let anyone down. That was the truth behind the serious Captain of the Zexen Knights; just another woman who was putting her life on the line for the people of her nation. Just an ordinary, loving, joking young woman who he knew would rather sit in a quiet bar and chat with friends than be stained by the blood of an enemy.

But Salome knew that she was no ordinary woman. Far from it, in fact.

Salome found a group of off-duty knights who all straitened up as he approached. "I need one of you to be a look out for Lord Roland and Lord Percival. Any volunteers?"

……

They had questioned the bandit messenger, but he spoke no words, and before they locked him away, he used an escape technique and disappeared.

Now Chris walked as fast as her legs would allow her, her tiredness weighing her down like lead. A group of eight, all but one in black, were in the barren plains just ahead of her, waiting.

Six of the figures straitened as she approached, standing in a partially circular formation around the other two. One was Louis, sagging in the other's arms with a black eye. The other held a saber of some sort to Louis's throat.

Chris stepped within five yards of the eight people, and the bandit with the sword spoke in a calm, drawling voice.

"Stop where you stand, woman. Unless you would enjoy my slicing this boys neck." Chris stopped, eyeing the seven enemies cautiously. No part of their body was shown except for their eyes, which were veiled in shadow. The man in the middle smiled, the cloth across his face creasing to show this. He had a white band across tied to his arm, but Chris knew it could not have been the same man from Vinay del Zexay. That meant that she was dealing with subordinates; the leader was still out there somewhere.

"Who are you? And what is it you wish to accomplish with my rune?"

"To answer your first question, we call ourselves the Black Bandits. But we'll take any name, from common bandit to dirty slime. And seeing as you'll all die anyway, I'll answer your second question as well, though it will take some explaining. Our group is based on the very research that the group founders accomplished."

"And that research?" Chris asked, sensing an annoyingly long explanation on its way. On the other hand, she was happy the man liked to talk.

"The True Runes, of course. The first theory was that the 27 True Runes powered themselves. That an infinite well of power was in each and every True Rune and this well supplied the magic and energy needed for usage of the rune. But after extensive research, mainly the discovery of the 27 True Runes' abilities, this theory was considered impossible."

Chris arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because of the fact that once one has used all of their rune's powers, one must rest for the rune to rejuvenate. Why would it have to rejuvenate if the runes had an infinite power well? With that theory proven wrong, many more theories came out, such as the runes receive power from the sun, or the runes power each other. But each of these theories were proven wrong as well. Finally, a theory came out from one of the founders that stated that the 27 True Runes were originally one extremely powerful rune. But there were two problems with this, one new, one old. Who or what created this 'Grand Rune' of sorts, and what powered this rune?" The man quickly looked around to see if there was any surprise attacks coming, so emerged in his explanation that he had forgotten the situation. Satisfied that there were none, he continued.

"Both problems were answered when we came across an ancient Sindar journal. In the journal, a man described how there was an amazing power source within this earth, at the very core, fed by the rotation of the planet. In other words, the very force that holds our feet to the ground feeds the core of this earth with its energy. In the journal, a tournament was told of how wizards and mages would try and harness some of this power. One great wizard accomplished this, putting the power into a small sphere that he called a rune. He, however, lost his life in the process, and was disqualified from this tournament because the amount of energy he was able to harness was a minuscule amount of the huge well within this earth. An amount that would add up to approximately 0.001 percent! Do you know what that means?"

Chris calculated her answer in her head. "It means… that even one of the 27 True Runes, with the ability to level cities and towns, and crush enemies, is a mere 0.00004 percent…"

"Of the entire well within this earth!" The head bandit grew excited.

"But the Grand Rune you speak of… How were the 27 True Runes borne of it?"

"It's quite simple. The great wizard who created the Grand Rune was a fool, for within this rune, he placed many opposite powers, such as water and fire, earth and air. Take, for instance, the Godspeed Rune and the True Time Rune. The Godspeed Rune gives speed to its owner, whereas the True Time Rune gives the owner an ability to slow things down. Fast and slow do not mix. Think of the Grand Rune as 27 positively charged magnets all shoved into one tiny ball. The ball would burst, as did the Grand Rune! Thus, the 27 powers within the Grand Rune each went in a different direction, forming the 27 True Runes we know of today. Our objective is simple: To collect the 27 True Runes and use them to draw raw power from this earth's core into other empty runes. With these false runes, the Black Bandits will easily conquer the main powers of the planet and send this world back to the dark ages, an age over which we will rule. No one will stand in our path!" The man paused, pleased with his explanation. "Any more questions before you give us the rune?"

"Yes," Chris nodded, inching her hand toward her sword. "Why do you want my rune first? Why not start with another True Rune?"

"The Grand Rune burst apart because of opposites, correct? Well, when you think about the water rune's 'opposites,' you can put out a fire, erode earth and stone, slow down an enemy, push someone who's slow through water pressure, and block teleportation. That means the True Water Rune overpowers the True Fire Rune, the True Earth Rune, the Godspeed Rune, the True Time Rune, and the True Blinking Rune; five True Runes. Put simply, with just one rune, we can easily gain five more. With six True Runes, all the other runes will fall in just a matter of time. Nothing would be able to stand in our way!" The man was obviously thrilled to prove that their plan would work.

The full weight of the situation bore down on her. If she gave them the True Water Rune, there would be no stopping them. The plan was a little farfetched, but Chris realized that all he spoke of was true.

"One more question. Tell me… what is seven minus two?"

"What? What type of question is that? It's five, of course." That was their queue. Right on time, two of the guarding bandits fell to the ground. The head bandit swished around, releasing his grip on Louis. Sagging Louis suddenly gained renewed energy, and he dashed out of the circle of bandits toward Chris.

Invisible hands grabbed Louis and hoisted him over an invisible shoulder, and invisible legs ran him to safety about twenty yards away. The invisibility spell wore off, and a smiling Salome appeared. Chris unsheathed her sword as three bandits sprinted toward her. The other minion had his hands full with a now visible Borus and Leo. The head bandit scowled at Chris, but decided to watch rather than fight.

With a swift swing, Chris sword crashed into the shoulder of the first bandit to reach her; he fell to the ground, cringing in agony. A second one reached her and his sword went flying toward her waist. With a quick sidestep, she avoided the blow and proceeded to bring her sword to his back. But just then, the third one appeared from behind. She used the momentum from her swing to push herself out of a direct blow, but was unable to avoid a slash to her upper left arm. With clenched teeth, she wrenched her sword from the back of the second attacker and with a backwards slash, brought the blade into the third's face, who was sent flying backward. She turned around, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, just in time to partially sidestep a blow to her waist from the head bandit.

She held back a cry of pain as the head bandit's blade cleaved through her armor and into the side of her waist. With a scream of rage, her fist met his face, and he stumbled backwards, clutching his nose.

Borus finally managed to get his blade into the bandits flesh. The bandit was fast, too fast for Leo with his heavy ax. He kept on avoiding every swing with ease. Borus had finally managed to get behind him and surprise him. With the troublesome bandit finished, he turned to see how his captain fared.

To his horror, she was on the ground, clutching her side with an armored hand. The head bandit stood over her, his sword raised just above her heart.

"Milady!" Leo bellowed, running toward her.

"Stop!" the bandit cried. Leo stopped uncertainly. "Tell your captain to give me the True Water Rune, and I will let her live. If you don't soon, she'll die of that wound anyway." He laughed haughtily. His voice was nasally; Chris had granted him a broken nose. "I see now. She asked me those questions to give you time for your mages to complete an invisible spell on you three. Then you snuck up around us, and as soon as she gave the signal, you attacked. Very smart, but not smart enough, as you can see. Now. Make her give me the rune, or she will die!"

Borus stared with complete shock. But then he shook his head. "You have forgotten one thing," he chuckled. The bandit glared at him.

"And what would that be?"

Borus held up a finger as if scolding a child. "Roland and Percival."

"Wha–" the bandit started, but was stopped short in his sentence as an arrow pierced his chest armor, going deep. He fell to the ground with a clatter of armor. Pushing his head off the ground, he watched as two figures came riding toward them on horses. Both dismounted, and one came forward, a bow and arrow in his hands.

The bandit let his head fall back down to the ground. With a cough of blood, he muttered, "Damn you…" Then came silence, followed by six people dashing toward Chris. The first there was Roland, who gingerly helped Chris to her feet. Her eyes were barely open, and she was breathing heavily. Gathered around them were Louis, Salome, Leo, Percival, and Borus. Chris flashed a quick smile to Roland, then turned to Louis. She took a wobbly step toward him, fell to her knees, and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Are… you okay, Louis?" she whispered, the loudest voice she could manage. Everyone stared in awe. She had never embraced anyone before, especially in front of them. Louis seemed the most prepared for such a situation, and though still stunned, returned Chris's hug with a smile.

"Y-yes, milady, I am fine, thanks to you." Chris dropped her arms to her sides and Borus, the first to recover of the adults in the group, helped her to her feet again.

She was dimly aware of Borus helping her back to camp, menders bustling around her, and Borus taking a seat at her bedside, before finally falling into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

………


	7. Black on the Horizon

And here's Chapter 7! A whopping 3,616 words, or so Microsoft Word says. Thanks for the reviews, everyone:

Lily (Lena) Evans- I've decided to add you to the "Faithful Reviewers League!" Thanks for all the reviews!

Cathy7- Glad you liked the mathematics question. Just a little something to distract the Bandit.

pikinanou- Is English really your second language? One could say it's my second language too, though it wouldn't be fair, considering I forgot most of my first ! By the way, say 'hi' to your chibi Borus for me.

Widower- Yes, that was a stupid mistake on my part. I knew of suikosource, but I didn't think to check there before I wrote the chapter. Suikosource, however, only shows sixteen true runes, leaving eleven unknown. And none of the sixteen they show have to do with time, so I'll keep my True Time Rune in for now. If in Suikoden IV they reveal more runes, I will change it (if needed). Thank you for the information! It was a big help. And I'm glad you liked my idea of the Grand Rune. I kind of made it up as I went along…

By the way, Cabernet, pronounced Cab-reh-nay, is a type of wine, for those of you who don't know.

…………

Chapter 7: Black on the Horizon

Borus sat at Chris's bedside, thoughts shooting through his head. She had hugged Louis. Did that mean that she was changing? Was he getting through to her? The Chris of two years ago would never have hugged anyone… right? He sighed in aggravation. He was just confusing himself.

With a huff, he turned his attention from his thoughts to the sleeping woman on the bed. She was so confusing! Her face was calm, her chest rising and falling in a rhythmic beat that pulsed through Borus's ears. The sound soothed him and he began to relax, pushing all thoughts from his mind. At least she was alive, and he was thankful for that.

……

Chris's eyes fluttered open. With a stifled yawn, she sat up and stretched her arms as far as they would go. She looked sleepily around the tent, and saw the vacant chair where Borus had been sitting. She actually felt good that day; she was able to sleep without ever waking or having a dream. A slight breeze wandered in through the tent's entrance, blowing her free hair out of her face. Memories woke up within her, and she lifted her brown shirt to reveal a small scar at the side of her waist. She touched it timidly, but felt no pain.

An unexpected smile broke out on her face, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed. The menders had thankfully left her brown suit on, and she quickly brushed and braided her hair, then set to work redressing herself in her armor, clasping the last gauntlet on only ten minutes later. With this completed, all that was left was her sword, which she found leaning idly against the overstuffed bed. She hooked it onto her belt before stretching one last time and throwing aside the entrance flap… walking right into Borus!

She jumped back, surprised, as did he. Then he plastered an uneasy frown on his face. "Pardon me, milady! I was just about to check on you… with the menders' permission, of course! I meant no disrespect, and––"

"Borus, please. I'm quite flattered that you would think to check on me. But I feel fine. Great, in fact. I have spent far too much time in bed lately anyway." The truth was that she had never felt better in all her years working as a knight. But she was not about to tell him that. She smiled.

"Glad to hear it, milady. That was some wound you received from that bandit. His blade was covered in poison, you know."

"Really? I feel nothing." Borus tilted his head at this.

"Actually, milady, I am very surprised that you are out of bed. You were groaning, so to speak, in pain a few hours ago. Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, Borus, very. Thank you for your concern." She gave him a big smile. "It means a lot to me. As does everything else you have done for me, of course." Borus blushed at this and looked away to hide it.

Chris chuckled at his child-like behavior. He had been very attentive to her lately, and this brought up curiosity from the depths of her mind. Why was he being so close to her? And _why_, why in the name of Saint Loa was she _enjoying_ it? She brushed this thought away, not accepting her own immediate answer.

Borus returned his gaze to her and smiled. "There is someone who has been begging to see you." His eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched Chris try to figure out whom he spoke of. She arched an eyebrow. "He wanted to thank you, for more than his life." Chris's eyes lit with realization.

"Louis! How is he?" she asked, interested with the memory of his black eye. "Is he well?"

"_Well_? A terrible understatement, milady. He has become as popular as you or I among the knights. They hail him as 'Lord Louis.' "

"Surly you jest?"

Borus shrugged "He has not gone an hour today without a knight stopping in to check up on him. I would have to say, however, that you would be at the top of the 'knights' gossip' list." He laughed, smile greeting his features. "You are even more of a hero than before, if possible." Chris frowned at this.

"I dislike the title of 'Hero'…"

Borus looked at her sadly. "Cheer up, milady! Being a heroine is in your blood. But I would not call you a hero… rather, a great knight who does her duty better than any other." Chris did not enjoy being called this either, but decided that it was better than being called a hero. She dismissed the subject with a shake of her head.

"I suppose I will see Louis now, since there seem to be no problems that I must deal with immediately." Borus nodded enthusiastically.

"He should be in the Infirmary."

"Thank you. I will also check up on that mage who put too much energy into trying to heal me earlier. He must be honored for such courage… perhaps a medal or certificate."

"Aye, milady. Is there anything you would like me to see to?"

"Yes," Chris said, turning towards the Infirmary. She glanced back at him. "I want you to have your arm looked into. I should guess you have not changed those bandages since our encounter with the bandits." Borus looked at her, startled, confirming her suspicions. "_That_, my friend, would be an order." She smiled playfully at him.

He let out a long sigh, but replied, "You _could_ have just asked if you wanted me to escort you to the Infirmary so badly." He grinned, and she shook her head.

"Did you leave your bandages dirty just to ensure that I would? Because I would have asked you to anyway." She winked at him, her hand brushing against his as she walked past.

Borus could not believe his eyes, let alone his ears. "Was she really just…" he muttered, amazed. "Did she just…" He watched her walk away. An _accident_, he decided, just an accident…

"That was an _order_, Borus!" she shouted from many yards away. Heads turned in his direction as he sprinted through the camp to catch up with her.

……

Chris could not believe what she had just done. She could have smacked herself. That strange curiosity had risen up again, this time with reinforcements of feelings that Chris had purposely denied herself from having. What was wrong with her? Where were these feeling coming from? She was the Captain of the Zexen Knights, for Goddess's sake! If she was caught acting such ways toward one of her knights… she shuddered at the thought. The Council would have her removed from her position before she could even object!

She did catch a fleeting ironic thought, however, that told herself, whatever it was that you did, you are pretty good at it.

Borus finally caught up with her just as she reached the Infirmary tent's door. She quietly pushed aside the flap and entered without another word to him, afraid that she might say or do something worse than what was already said and done. With a quick glance around the Infirmary, she located an ecstatic Louis surrounded by five knights, all asking him about events from the day before. There was a pause in conversation after Louis was asked about his eye.

"Did Lady Chris really _hug_ you?" started one.

"I wish Lady Chris would hug me," said another. The first gave him a friendly shove.

"Hah, she'd have your tongue if she heard you say that!"

"The truth is," started a third, "I believe we'd all like a hug from the great Lady Chris…"

"True, friend, true," the fourth chuckled. "I suppose we should be glad our wives aren't here." The other four laughed heartily.

"Say, Louis," said the fifth. "What was it like, being hugged by Milady Chris?"

"P-pardon?" asked Louis, surprised by the question.

"Yes," agreed the first. "What did it feel like?"

"Um… It was just a hug. Nothing more…"

"Come now," said the second. "Did it feel like hugging air? Or perhaps the _softest_ pillow ever made…" Louis began to blush.

"I do suppose it would be like hugging the Goddess herself," grinned Borus, surprising the group of six with his sudden appearance. He placed his hands on two of the soldiers' shoulders, smiling, leaning into their little huddle. The men shuffled uneasily, but saw that he was playing their game, and some laughed at his statement, others agreeing.

"Borus! I shall not have myself compared with the Goddess! You know better!" said Chris, appearing behind him. Now the five knights spun around and stared in horror.

"O-oh, milady!" stuttered the third knight. "We were just, ah, talking to Lord Louis over here, and, uh…"

Chris smiled in surprise, shaking her head. "Lord Louis, is it? Well, I see you've become quite famous in my night of absence." Louis became red and nodded.

The five knights stood uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. Chris decided for them. "Louis, I wouldd like to speak with you alone. Outside, if you please. Borus?"

"Yes, milady?"

Chris stepped a bit closer to him, and said quietly into his ear, "I am absolutely positive you have brought some fine wine, correct?" Borus nodded, already knowing what she was going to say. "If you don't mind, could you kindly invite these men to a glass each?" Borus nodded again, this time almost gravely. "Do not worry," she whispered, getting a little closer to his ear so that he could hear. "I will make it up to you, I promise."

……

Louis followed Chris through the camp and out a ways into the Grassland where no one could hear them.

"Now," Chris started, sitting down on a nearby rock. Louis did likewise. "Louis, did you happen learn anything on your stay with these Black Bandits?"

"No, milady. I was out cold the entire time. I just stepped out of camp for a moment to go fetch some fresh water from a nearby stream for myself. I was quite thirsty, milady. I bent down to scoop up water into a mug… and that was the last thing I remember." He absently rubbed his tender black eye. It was swollen, but the swelling was slowly dying down. A good sign, Chris decided.

"I woke up again to find myself in that man's arms. I pretended to be unconscious, incase there was a chance to escape. Then, suddenly, the man let go, and I ran towards you, milady. That is everything I know." Chris nodded, storing the information away for later use.

"How is your eye, Louis?" Louis smiled.

"The mender says that it will be gone by the end of the month." Chris grinned.

"Good."

"…Why did you bring me out here, milady?" Chris's smile faded.

"The walls have ears, Louis."

"Oh?"

"I brought you here so that you could talk without others listening, and also… no, never mind."

"What is it, milady?" Chris sighed, looking up briefly at the sunny sky.

"Louis… I know this will sound strange… but I…" Louis cocked his head. "Louis, what… what was it like to… to hug me?" Louis's eyes widened in complete surprise. What type of question was that? Why would she ask such a thing? He knew it was almost to be expected of the other knights, but the same question so seriously from _her?_ Silence plagued the two.

His own answer surprised him. "It was… it was like being welcomed home by your entire family… by your entire village. It was the warmth that you feel when your at a dinner table filled with people who are all good friends… and they all are there for you, talking happily. It felt like being bundled up in a blanket on the eve of a new year with nice mug of hot cocoa in front of the burning fire. That, milady, was what it felt like to me."

Chris was still looking up at the sky. His words touched her unlike anything ever before. She smiled. "Thank you, Louis. Your words are worth more than you know." A breeze swept across the plains, rustling her braids. The breeze brought warmth to Louis that the sun did not provide. But even as it blew across Chris, her veins went ice cold…

……

Roland found himself straying from the camp. It was far too noisy, and he needed a quiet place to think. As he wandered the plains atop his steed, he felt a warm breeze brush across him. It was a nice feeling. It reminded him of his home.

He longed to be back among his brethren. But even when given leave, he always decided to stay at the foreboding Brass Castle. Why? He did not really know the answer to that himself. Maybe it was because his Captain did the same, after the war. She took one long vacation, then never left her post, even now. One could again ask, 'why?' Roland did not know the answer to this either. But he guessed that, unlike him, she had no one to return to. Everyone was here, on the battlefield. Her mother was gone. Her father as well. She was the sole Lightfellow, now.

Another breeze stirred up, this time carrying voices with it. He aimed his horse toward their direction, but remained out of sight. He recognized the first as Chris's familiar confident but quiet tone.

"Thank you very much, Louis. I will do what I can with the information you have given me, but I cannot guarantee much." The second was obviously Louis's.

"Of course, milady. It wasn't very useful, was it?" There was a pause.

Then, "Every detail counts, Louis. Even the most general description can solve a mystery. Speaking of mysteries, have you any idea as to Roland's whereabouts? I have yet to thank him for getting me out of that dangerous situation with the bandit."

"Come to think of it, milady, I believe he left camp a while ago."

"Is that so? I suppose I will wait for his return to talk with him."

"Why not search for him? He could not have wandered far."

"I am sure he has not. But I would rather not disturb him. I believe he leaves camp to think; something that one must often do, especially if he or she is away from home." There was another pause.

"Do you think often, milady?"

"Hmm? Me? Well, yes, I suppose so…"

"About what? –– If you don't mind my asking, that is."

Chris sighed. "I have been thinking… of the old days, days long past when I was much younger. My father would host parties at our home, and the guests would fill our large dining table. And I would sit with them and listen to their happy conversations about politics and news from across the sea. People would comment me of my schoolwork or ask how my sword practices were going. Then, once dinner was finished, a band started playing merry tunes, and everyone would gather in the largest room of the house and dance to their hearts content. And then, even as I was put to bed, I could still hear the clapping and laughter from downstairs…" she sighed almost dreamily. "Sometimes, even as I began to fall asleep, my father would come upstairs, and tell me one of the adventurous stories he had heard from the guests. I would never sleep until the story was finished, and when it was, I would often dream up the story myself… oh, but I must be boring you!"

"No, not at all, milady! I've never heard so much about your past. You seem troubled by it."

"Troubled? Oh, no. It is… just a bit saddening. It doesn't 'trouble' me, per se."

"Very well, milady."

Roland's horse stomped, as if trying to gain his attention. He looked around, but decided that the horse was just getting bored. He turned his steed back toward the open plain, deciding to put in an afternoon gallop before heading back to camp. But even as he galloped, his thoughts still wandered.

His past did not sadden him, so why did he avoid it? More unanswerable questions. But he knew one thing. Even though he never went to his true home, his other home was always here, with his Captain, the person who had impressed him with her bravery, kindness, and intelligence. She had proven herself worthy to being his Captain long ago, and he would remain loyal to her as long as she remained loyal to herself.

"MILADY!"

……

Later that night, after a silent and lonely dinner, Chris sat in a chair within her tent. She rested he head in her hands, hiding her face, as it was her only attempt to comfort herself. Many problems paved through her mind. The first and by far most important were the bothersome bandits. They would not give in easily, Chris knew. But even if this problem was the most important, it was not what concerned Chris.

She had requested a quiet dinner because she knew that if she did not, Borus would certainly join her, and… after what had happened, though such a little action, a feeling of unrest sat in the pit of her stomach. A wave of pain coursed through her body, causing her to release a slight grunt. That led to her third problem. She needed control of her rune, but how would she obtain control without hurting herself?

"This damn rune…" she muttered to herself. It was not like her to swear unless she felt deep rage, but she could have cared less about swearing at that moment. She raised her head and dropped her gaze to her right hand. She had long since hung her armor on its rack, and the unfamiliar small mark in the back of her hand seemed to stand out more than ever. She clenched and unclenched her fist. Her very human, very feminine hand was almost foreign to her. It had been a long time since she had been without her armor other than when she slept. She huffed.

"I wonder if I am still up to this job…" she asked herself, replacing her face within her hands. The whole Captain of the Knights routine was starting to get harder and harder to bear. The only things that made it sufferable were the companionship of her fellow knights, and the feeling of worth one acquired when a battle was won. But what would happen when all she knew passed on to the relief that was death? She would be left alone with her eternal life. What would it feel like to be truly alone, she asked herself. Chris sighed as she covered her eyes from the light. She was becoming far too soft. "I must be strong," she reminded herself. "I must be…"

'Strong?' something inside her asked. 'How can you be strong when you've not the strength to stand up to your fears?' A stronger breeze came through the entrance, and the candlelight on a small stool flickered. It soon gave in to the wind, fading from existence with a cloud of smoke. Chris spared no attention to the fact that she sat in the dark, though it did seem to better suit her mood. From the hiding spot in her hands, she did not notice the figure enter the tent. He shifted uneasily before clearing his throat to gain her attention.

Chris peeked through slits between her fingers before lowering her hands away to better see the guest. Just the person she wanted to see…

"How can I assist you, Borus? Is there something that troubles you?" Borus lowered his gaze the ground, her tone obviously stating that his presence was less than desirable.

"Milady…" He started searching for the right words. Chris tiredly cocked her head. Then she noticed the new bandages that wrapped arm, and a tiny smile graced her features.

"I see my first order has been carried out." Borus nodded, seeming to gain confidence.

"Yes, and I treated those five men to some finely aged Cabernet, as you requested, milady… but…" he trailed off, still not knowing what to say.

"Is something the matter, Borus? You do not seem yourself." Borus raised his eyes to meet hers, and Chris arched an eyebrow, her heart fluttering nervously. Borus stepped a little closer, but seemed to hesitate with something. Chris suddenly noticed the lack of light, and stood to reach for a match that lay next to the candle. In a quick and graceful movement, she struck the match on the side of the stool and relit the candle. Shaking the flame on the match out, she turned back to Borus, setting the used match down on the stool after it had cooled. Still Borus remained silent.

Chris stepped forward towards him, now worried. "––Borus?"

"With all this talk of hugging…" His quiet voice surprised her. "With all this talk of you hugging others, I thought… I thought it might be nice…" Chris's eyes widened as he took another step forward, now only a foot away. What was he doing? "I thought it might be nice to be… hugged yourself." Without waiting for a response from Chris, Borus gathered her in his arms in a tight embrace.

She stood ramrod-still, her breath caught in her throat. The feeling sent a chill down her spine, and without warning, memories of her father's and mother's hugs, much like this one, appeared in her mind. She succumbed, melting in his grasp, unable to stand on her numbing legs. Borus held fast, squeezing tighter, if anything.

"Milady…" he whispered in her ear. "… Milady…" Everything faded to darkness. "…Milady…" Borus's chant continued.

"…_Milady_. Milady…! MILADY!" Chris sat bolt upright. Her heart pounded, and she looked about wildly to find a bright sun and steady breeze. Louis looked at her from where he knelt by her side, a look beyond worried pasted on his face.

"Louis? …What happened?" She found herself in the exact location of her talk with Louis. But did this not already happen? She had already eaten dinner, right?

"Thank the Goddess! You were murmuring something, and then you fainted on the spot. Are you well?"

"Actually, I am… cold…" Just then the pounding of hooves was heard, and Roland appeared on his bay steed, dismounting immediately.

"Milady! Are you alright? I heard Louis shout." Chris shivered in the breeze. Louis noticed this.

"You said you were… cold, milady?" She nodded slightly. Roland seemed to be on edge.

"Something wrong, Roland?" He nodded quickly.

"Bandits; an army of over two hundred, milady. Approaching from the west. I managed to catch sight of them coming just as I heard Louis." Chris was on her feet in an instant.

"Warn Salome! Get the men ready for battle, Roland, quickly. We have no time to lose." Roland nodded and left. "Louis, please ready my horse."

"Of course," came his quick reply. Chris dashed back towards the camp. Cursing herself for not being better prepared, she ran to help ready the knights.

"Damn this cold…" she muttered, rubbing her arms to help bring them warmth. And she had not even thanked Roland yet. She shook her head and began shouting orders out to the knights. But even moving did nothing to quell the coldness seeping through her body.

………


	8. Fate

Sorry about the long wait. One word: School. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews. By the way, for those of you game music lovers out there, check out www. ocremix. org/ downloadmix. php . FFN isn't very good with urls, so copy the url, paste it into the address bar, and delete the spaces in between (www.) and (ocremix.), between that and (org/), and so on. Click on the letters at the top-right of the screen once you get there to see music remixes for games by alphabetical order. They've got Suikoden (not much, though), Final Fantas'ies', Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, you name it. A-Z game remixes. It's a cool website, so check it out.

Also, I just went through every chapter and did a bit of upgrading. My suggestion is, if you haven't read the chapters before this in a while, read them again. I've changed a bit of things, but the basic outline remains the same. If you find any type-os, don't hesitate to place them in a review or something.

Now, as for reviews:

Lily (Lena) Evans: It's about to get much better! Just not much in this chapter…

Cathy7: Chris hugging Louis was stretching her personality a bit, I think. But it worked out okay in the end.

Widower: Sorry, but the "impending attack from the bandits" isn't much a spectacle in this chapter. It does, however, come up in later chapters.

StickyRice: I just _had_ to add the flirting in there somewhere. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Aries28: I don't know how much fluff I can put in without making the story unrealistic. But I'll try!

Once again, thanks for the reviews! Now on with the slightly (just slightly) uneventful chapter!

………

Chapter 8: Fate

The battle was over quickly. The victors of the battle were obvious from the start, considering the bandits were outnumbered at least 2 to 1. Chris found herself wondering why she had been so worried when Roland had stated the news of the two hundred bandits. The battle was over so swiftly, in fact, that Chris's army had lost no one. Now she, Louis, and the other five Knights of Zexen sat in a tent, discussing their next course of action. They all sat comfortably with wine glasses set for each of them, except Louis, of course. Throughout the entire talk, however, Chris remained unusually silent.

"We should send out scouts to locate the rest of the bandits. Once we know where they are, we can plot our next movement," Salome stated, addressing everyone.

"Yes," Roland said. "But until then, we are sitting ducks. The bandits could sneak up at any moment, just like they did earlier today."

"I agree with Roland," Leo said. "They may be small in number, but they could easily take the upper hand in a surprise attack. I think we should move back to Brass Castle, restock, then send out different patrol groups to search for the remaining bandits."

"If we do that," Percival said, setting down his glass of wine, "we might as well send out an invitation to them saying, 'please, come rob the travelers.' We cannot let this theft continue."

"I understand your reasoning, all of you, but as long as we keep up our guard, we can just send out scouts and have Brass Castle send us a caravan of supplies. We do not… need…" Salome trailed off as he noticed the table shaking, small ripples spreading through the glasses of wine. Borus looked up from his very own glass and looked about the tent, looking for a source to the shaking. At first he thought it was enemy attack. But soon all eyes turned to Chris. She held her wine with loose fingers, her hand visibly shaking. Her _entire body_ was shaking.

"D-Do c-cont-tinue," she said with chattering teeth. Louis gasped.

"I knew I was forgetting something! Earlier today, milady said she was cold. She did say that, didn't she, Sir Roland? You were there."

Roland cocked his head slightly. "I do not recall. I was in quite a hurry to relay the information of the bandits to milady."

"What about the poison on the bandit's blade?" Borus asked, speaking for the first time in a while. "The blade of the bandit that struck Chris a couple days ago. It was poisoned, was it not?"

"Y-you are a-a-all m-making a b-big deal a-b-b-b-bout this. I am just a bit cold. N-Nothing m-more." Chris was growing more irritated by the second, but not at the others. Throughout the entire day, she had slowly been getting colder.

Completely ignoring Chris's comment, Percival said, "It is true that the blade was poisoned, but the mages completely removed any poison. Master Mage himself overlooked the removal operation; it was he who said she was poison-free."

"What if it was an undetectable poison?" Roland inquired. "Something like toxis or terulum?"

"Toxis and terulum are myths!" claimed Salome, putting his logic into the situation. "We have no proof of their existence, and it would not matter anyway. Toxis and terulum poisons _supposedly_ do not have these effects on victims."

Chris gave them all cold glares. '_Even Salome had joined in with this buffoonery!'_ she thought. She let go of the wine glass, and the table ceased its shaking. It seemed that Leo and Roland had gotten into an argument over the legend of toxis and terulum, and it did not look as though it would end soon. As she stood, everyone's attention had turned to her, and she spoke, forcing her voice not to waver. "We shall send for reinforcements and supplies from Budehuc and Brass Castle. Scouts will be sent out to do a little reconnaissance _after_ we move our camp a little closer to the cover of the Zexen Forest. Any questions? Good." She left the tent, a cold breeze eagerly entering the warm tent as the tent's flap drifted shut behind her.

Everyone stared after her, surprised at her sudden outburst. Salome shrugged, standing and saying "It is late. Milady Chris must be quite tired. We should _all_ get some rest." Everyone muttered their agreement, and one by one left the tent until only two remained.

"What do you suppose is wrong with her, Borus?" Percival questioned, swishing the wine around in the glass. Borus stared into his own wine before taking a small sip.

"I know not, dear Percy," he said, earning a scowl from Percival. "She has been acting so strangely ever since she received the rune. Perhaps thoughts on what is to be are plaguing her."

"That does not explain the reason that she shivers like a dog that fell into a frozen lake. If it is not poison, then what is it?"

Borus looked up from the glass. "Has your brain failed you, Sir Percival?" he asked, the light from a lamp gleaming in his eyes. "It is the rune. For some reason, the rune seems to be perturbed, ill at ease. These are the signs that something great is about to happen. We all must be prepared for the worst." He looked back down at his wine. "The runes are mysterious and powerful things that Sadie, or someone else, graced us with. With them we can keep a peaceful world. With them we can crush it. Do you believe in fate, Percival?" Silence reigned. "Do you believe that if we are meant to live, we will? And if we are meant to die, we will?" Percival studied the tent's ceiling.

"That is a hard question you ask, Borus. Was Chris destined to bear the True Water Rune? Was the war between the Grasslands and Zexen preordained? I cannot answer such a question. Neither, I believe, can you.

"In that, you are correct." The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across the wall of the tent. Borus watched these with an amusing question. Was the man who lit the lamp destined to do so? He suddenly chuckled to himself. "My dear friend, we waste time questioning the unanswerable. I will bring milady Chris some extra blankets before I turn in. Winter is rearing its ugly head. Perhaps she caught something while out today. Hopefully it will blow over in the morning." Percival nodded. Then a wicked smile crossed his face.

"Forget not to kiss her on the cheek after you tuck her in!" Borus's eyes blazed with anger, and he opened his mouth to say a few nasty things. But before a word left his throat, Percival was gone. Scowling, Borus realized he was far too tired, and decided to peruse the matter in the morning. Leaving the tent, he went and grabbed a few blankets from the supply tent before heading back down the tent rows to Chris's not so lavish pavilion.

Clearing his throat at the entrance, he called quietly, "Milady, do you sleep?" No answer. "Milady?" Still no answer. Worried, Borus called, "I'm coming in," and pushed aside tent flap. Darkness greeted him, and he waited for his eyes to adjust before proceeding. He was relieved to find Chris asleep under one blanket on her overstuffed mattress, but to his dismay, she was still shivering. He carefully unfolded the three blankets he had grabbed and laid them gently across Chris. Then a thought occurred to him. _Perhaps I will fulfill Percival's request_. He bent down and gave Chris a very small kiss on the cheek. He pulled back quickly as she shifted under her covers, but to his surprise, she gave a content sigh. He smiled to himself before leaving the tent.

He just hoped to Goddess that he was destined to do that.

………


	9. Tis Almost the Season

Thanks for the reviews, peoples! Um, looks like I haven't updated in quite a while… hmm… ah well, better late then never, I always say.

Lily (Lena) Evans: Glad you loved it! I hope you like this one too!

Cathy7: Chris is sick in one way, but not the other…

K'Arthur: squeals I'm not worthy of a _second_ review from you! This is like ten reviews all in one! Thanks for all the helpful tips. Help is always appreciated, since that _is_ the basic purpose of a review. And I'm glad you enjoyed Borus and 'Percy's' discussion.

Water kokoro: It's good to see so many people like the Chris-Borus pair. I guess some people think Borus is evil or something…

pikinanou: I'm trying to bring the Chris/Borus relationship along slowly. The kiss was just the beginning! And I hope that one day your Chibi-Borus will give you a kiss on the cheek, too.

For those of you haven't seen it, I have a picture up in my profile that I drew. Check it out if you get a chance.

………

Chapter 9: 'Tis Almost the Season

All was dark as a man in black sat silently on his shadowy steed, watching a camp slowly begin to settle down for the night. A night breeze fingered his clothing, but he paid no mind to it. No, his attention was on more important things. The battle he had ordered that day had been a complete success. The Master would be pleased. He did not care that almost every one of his solders were killed; _that_ did not matter. What _did_ matter was the confirmation of a previous plan's accomplishment.

His eyes lit up with interest as he saw a dark figure stab one of the soldiers on night watch in the back. The Zexen soldier made no noise, and simply slid to the ground, dead. The dark figure then proceeded to drag the dead soldier behind a tent where his rotting corpse would probably be found in the morning. Looking back and forth, the figure seemed to melt in with the shadows, slivering up the hill towards the man on horseback.

Upon reaching him, the figure knelt on one knee. "Milord. Lightfellows's sickness has been confirmed. Her rune remains restless. Permission to send out an order for Phase II?"

"Granted," the man on horseback said, waving his soldier off. The soldier disappeared into the darkness of the plains. The man smirked. "This," he said to himself, "should be quite interesting." He turned his horse, ready to return to his base, when he saw movement down at the Zexen camp. The soldier that had been stabbed was moving, crawling toward the entrance of the nearest tent. The man spat. _Stupid Zexens,_ he growled to himself. _They don't know when to give up._ He thought about what to do next. He could kill the man, but that might start a commotion. He could let the man live, but that might give them too much information. He could… no wait. What's this?

Another soldier was approaching the injured one. "Damn," muttered the man under his breath. With swiftness from many years of training, he had pulled out a cross bow and was already loading a bolt in. The dark man had seen the second soldier come from a pavilion that was a bit larger than the other sleeping tents. The injured soldier must have been moaning or something, because there was no way in Hell that anyone could see him. The second soldier approached the first cautiously, then ran to his side. The man on horseback began loading the second bolt to his double-bolt custom crossbow. With a _click_ it was in, and he began judging the exact angle needed to hit them both in one shot. _'A centimeter apart should do,'_ he decided. He aimed quickly. Then, _twang_. The first arrow struck the second soldier in his left shoulder. The second arrow struck the already injured soldier with deadly precision in the head. His piercing scream was the last thing the man in black heard as he turned his horse, smirking, and galloping away into the moonless night's darkness.

……

The scream was the cherry on the ice cream sundae for Chris's dream. She awoke, panting and sweating, despite the cold that engulfed her body. All the dream had contained were voices. Many voices. Talking about her. She did not remember the entire dream, but at one point, she recognized one of the voices.

"_She cannot control it," one voice had said. "This rune does not belong with her."_

"_I agree," another voice said. "In all my years with it, it was easy to control. So why should it be any different with her?" Other voices had chimed in their agreement in the matter. Then another voice came to. This one was louder than the rest._

_  
"The runes are the ones that chose, not us," he rumbled angrily. "We have no right to judge their decisions. Theirs is final."_

"_How do the runes choose, might I ask?" said a quieter voice. "Is it simply choosing the strongest person they can find who will fight for their purpose?"_

"_Does it matter?" asked the loudest voice of them all. "She may be my daughter, and I do love her, but even if she was not, I would still think she deserves this chance. I brought this upon her. If it calms you, I will help her out of it."_

"_Then do so, or she will die of cold," said a much quieter, far away voice._ That was the end of the dream, but the familiarity of the loudest voice was sent even more chills down her spine. _Father…?_

Within seconds, she was out of her tent in a light tunic and long pants. A soldier ran up to her.

"Status?" she asked, walking in the direction of the scream.

"Milady! Sir Marrot was found dead, a sword wound in the back and an arrow through the head!" Chris's eyes widened, then narrowed. Sir Marrot had been a good soldier, and a good man. "Not only that, milady, but Lord Borus was hit with an arrow as well. Right in the shoulder. Now Chris's eyes widened and stayed so.

"Which shoulder?" she asked hastily.

"Ah, the left one, milady." She let out a sigh of relief.

"Then at least he cannot feel it…"

"Pardon?" the knight asked, unable to hear her. She shook her head.

"Nothing."

Borus did not even grimace as the arrow was yanked from his shoulder. He looked up as Chris entered the Infirmary, surprised to see her out of bed. "Milady, you should not be up. You are not well."

"Yes, Borus. I suppose I'll have to request that all knights do not scream when they die." She was angry. Quite so, Borus could tell. She lightened up. "Forgive me. I am not used to having a good man die in my sleep." She sighed. "What happened?"

Borus took the rag offered to him by the mender and applied pressure on his wound. "I came from your tent and heard moaning––"

"You came from where?" she interrupted. A slight tint of red began to climb up Borus's cheeks. Chris noticed this and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, yes, well…" he trailed off, unable to find an excuse that would not be obvious to anyone around him.

Chris shook her head. "I see. This explains the other three blankets I found piled on top of me. Thank you very much, Borus." A hand went absently to her cheek, a spot that remained a bit warmer than any other part of her. She noticed that her teeth were not chattering any more. She briefly wondered why before she found herself distracted. "No, Borus, you must apply pressure, not just hold it there. Here." She took the already bloody cloth from Borus's hand and properly held it down on the wound. "Now continue."

Borus watched her carefully. "I heard some moaning coming from around the supply tent. I walked carefully around it to find Marrot…" he shook his head at the memory. "He knew something was very wrong if someone was to go through the trouble of killing him. He was moaning as loud as he could. But as soon as I made it to his side…" He looked toward his wound, then to the hand that was pressed down on it. The mender had left the tent, and the few other patients in the area were asleep. He gingerly placed his warm hand over Chris's cold one. She froze. Her eyes slowly traveled to his face, which was looking down sadly.

"Before he died, before he screamed, he had whispered to me, 'Lady Chris… sickness…phase two…'" Borus looked up at her. _But you are not sick, milady, are you?_ He did not say this, but the words were shown in his eyes. Chris watched him, trying desperately to ignore the warmth that came from his hand.

She held her stony complexion just long enough for the mender to reappear through the tent flap again. Borus slowly let go of her hand, and he thought for a moment that she was going to slap him. But instead her eyes saddened as she removed her hold on cloth over his wound. The mender wrapped the wound with bandages he had probably gotten from the supply tent. Borus turned to him.

"You will have to stay here for the night, Lord Borus," the mender said. "I know you cannot feel it, but just incase infection shows up, I would like for you to be here. Now, milady Chris," he said turning around, "I have heard that… you… were…" He stopped himself upon seeing that she was not in the tent. "Now where did she go?"

Borus had watched her leave from the corner of his eye. The look on her face covered just one feeling. Guilt. _Guilt for what?_ he asked himself. He sighed. She was just so confusing! "Do not worry about her," he said to the mender. "She just has a couple things on her mind."

……

Early the next morning, unexpectedly, it snowed. A brilliant white covered the camp when Borus stretched his good arm the next morning. According to the mender, he was almost past the stage where his wound could become infected, and it had not become so thus far. Chris was up and about, ordering that a road be made in the snow from all the important tents to the main throughway, which had already been cleared. He walked up behind her and cleared his throat.

She turned, a bit surprised to see him up. But she smiled warmly, something neither he nor she was used to. "Good Morning, Borus. I trust you had what good sleep you could get?" She turned away after he nodded. "And isn't this a surprise," she said, motioning to the snow.

He nodded again. "It seems winter has come early."

………


	10. Intrusion of the Water Bringer

Wow, it has been a while… sorry about this, guys. Ah well, the story must go on. No excuses on my part, but why haven't you guys been bothering me?

WARNING: I have spent the past two days altering, editing, and all out fixing chapters 1-9. SOME OF THE STORY YOU MAY REMEMBER HAS CHANGED. I _STRONGLY_ recommend that you reread everything, whether or not you think you remember it. Of course, if this is your first read, then ignore this and enjoy.

Responses:

StickyRice: Ah, so we're a romantic, are we? Hahahaha, glad to see you liked it, though it's now been tuned up a bit.

Lily (Lena) Evans: Holly crap! That chapter _too_? Wowza. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Cathy7: What will happen next indeed. Haven't thought about that… heh, just kidding.

Widower: So is reading my story like eating a Hershey chocolate bar? That would be kinda cool. A story that tastes like candy… I'll invent it and become rich! You get 10 of the cut since you made up the idea.

Virtue: Ah, crap, sorry Virtue. I don't know what happened, I just sorta, didn't write. But that's all fixed now. See? I'm typing!

Okay, on with Chapter 10!

………

Chapter 10: Intrusion of the Water Bringer

_Boof_. Borus shook his fist and scowled at the soldier who had just lobbed a snowball at him. The soldier looked uncertain, but fell over when Percival pelted him in the face with his own snowball. The soldier laughed before getting up and joining other companions.

"I see you are having merry fun, Percy," Borus said, a hint of anger in his voice. Percival chuckled, dodging another barrage of snowballs. The easy victory from the day before had left the troops with good morale, and there were no few snowball fights taking place. They passed Roland, who stood still as a stone, staring straight ahead. Both arms were behind his back and an impassive expression dressed his face.

"Well, I can say I am having more fun than Roland," Percival whispered somewhat loudly. Roland shifted his gaze ever so slightly to glare at Percival. Borus huffed, his breath leaving a trailing cloud of vapor as he did so. "Oh, come now, Borus. Scout duty is not _that_ bad. Besides, we can get a little air, and peace and quiet"

Borus _harrumphed_ as they entered the stables, where their two horses were tacked up and ready to go. He unlatched his horse's stall door and led the gelding back outside. Percival followed suit. Now back outside, Percival moved up alongside Borus.

"Now don't be _miserable_! What has you in such a mood?" Percival asked, getting annoyed. Borus had wanted anything but to be placed on scout duty. _Anything!_ But Salome claimed he was long overdue for it, and Borus could not argue. They led their horses back the way they came, and when Percival saw that no answer was forthcoming, he opened his mouth to say more when he stopped short. And he began to stifle a laugh.

Roland stood in the same position as before. But next to him was a snowman, with both stick arms behind its back and an angry expression of rocks dressing its face. Someone had shoved a carrot in place of its nose, and two carrots came out of either side of its head. The snowman was a perfect replica of Roland.

Some part of Percival lost control, and he began to laugh hysterically. Borus glanced at Roland, the sight amusing him. Roland now pulled his bow from behind his back. The two got the hint and continued on their way, but Percival's laugh echoed strongly through the camp even after they turned around a bend.

Finally, they exited the camp and mounted their horses. Percival wiped tears from his eyes. "Ah, not a sight you see every day, is it now?" Borus nodded, finding he had to agree. The two rode out far from the camp until it was only a tiny colorful blotch in the distance, before splitting up. One would head right, the other left, and they would circle around the camp, meet again, pass each other, and continue until they met each other again. Then they would return to camp together and the next shift would head out.

One would think it easy, but while on scout duty, the scouts had to remain attentive at all times. One had to be able to notice a slight discoloration that should not be there, an enemy sneaking in behind them, or something out of place. One's mind could not wander. And that was _exactly_ what Borus's mind wanted to do. He wanted to think. But now, of course, he could not. He took his job as a knight seriously, and would not, _could_ not let his duties be swayed by his thoughts. One mistake out here, he knew, could mean the death of many soldiers, an accident, or, well, anything.

He waved off Percival, turning right as Percival turned left, and began his scouting duty. He blocked thoughts from his mind, and cast his gaze across the white landscape. In the far off distance, he could just barely see trees. The opposite side held mountains. He scanned the horizon, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but saw nothing.

It was when he was very close to meeting up with Percival for the first time that he saw something scamper across the white scene. He moved out of his normal scouting path toward whatever it was he had seen. Oddly, there was nothing there, and just as he was about to turn back, when he saw it again out of the corner of his eye. This time, he reared his horse into a gallop after it.

He saw fleeting flashes of the creature ahead of him, and knew he was going in the right direction. Finally, the creature veered off to his left, and he saw what it was; a baby wild boar. He wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead and sighed in frustration. He looked around him, and found himself very lucky to still be able to see his camp, an almost microscopic dot of orange in the distance.

But as he turned around to head back, something black caught his eye, very black against the white of the snow. He turned his head as fast as it would turn, and saw a person dash beyond a small hill. At first he was not sure if he had actually seen it. But then, as he moved closer, he saw footprints. Half of him wanted to follow the footprints, but the other half, going against his initial instinct, told him it would be more reasonable to seek help and have small searching party do the job instead.

He chose to follow his instinct.

……

Chris had watched Borus sulk off to scout duty with Percival, and had thought the entire thing a bit comical. She would indeed give _anything_ to go on scout duty now, instead of being stuck in camp finishing random paper work that was long over due. She also had to write a very lengthy report on what had happened since they left Vinay del Zexay, many weeks ago. Salome had offered to do it, but Chris knew he was offering out of courtesy rather than it being his job. So there she sat, in her slightly warm tent, finishing the vicious paper work and writing a story fit for a novel.

The paper work did do one thing for her; it cleared her head, and the 'novel' she was writing would help her organize her thoughts and remember what exactly _had_ happened the three weeks they had been out. She signed off the last of a weapons and armor shipment approval and began reading over a list of foods that would be shipped to the army's current location with her approval when she heard the distant galloping of hooves. The sound came closer and closer, and Chris dropped her pen and took up her sword in its place. _Has an enemy breached camp?_ she found herself asking.

But no. The horse and rider had stopped outside her tent, but it was Percival who walked in, not an enemy. "Milady," he said breathlessly. "Forgive me for my intrusion, but I bring important news. As you know, Borus and I were out on a scout run. But we never passed each other, for there was no Borus to pass." Chris took this in, and moved a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Are you positive?" she found herself asking, alarm on her face.

"It is no joke, if that is what you believe it to be. He was coming toward me a ways in the distance–– we were just about to pass for the first time–– and I turned to look to my right. When I looked back, he was gone." Percival shrugged, his breaths finally beginning to slow down. Chris opened her mouth to speak, but then more galloping hooves were heard. Percival, too, heard them, and they both moved outside. It was none other than Borus who came galloping down the tent aisle, and he was just as breathless as Percival. But a smile was on his face, as though he held some great secret.

"Lady Chris, Percival," he greeted, his horse huffing as big a breath as he. Other soldiers moved around them, mumbling to themselves. "I have good news, milady," he finally said. "I have––" he took a deep breath, "I have located the enemy encampment."

……

Night had fallen, and a bitter wind had picked up. But the weather was keenly ignored as a small group moved across the milky plains. The group consisted of five people; Percival, Chris, two soldiers who were expertly trained in reconnaissance, and Borus. Percival was sly and good in investigation, and Chris had been thoroughly trained in the area, as it was required of a captain. Borus never had much luck with reconnaissance, but he knew where they were going and had thus argued his way into the group. None of them wore armor; hard leather jerkins had taken armor's place, and long swords had been replaced by sabers recovered from the "Squire Incident," as it was now called.

Four mages had examined the bandits' clothing, and altered the shapes of normal outfits to become perfect replicas for the five to use.

They moved around the hill that Borus had first seen someone in black move behind, and then followed the hoof prints Borus's horse had left. It was not far in this direction when Borus motioned for them to stop. He moved forward to a small mound in the ground and stopped. A black figure seemed to mold from the ground and rise, his sword drawn.

"Back from scout duty," Borus said quietly to the man. The man nodded.

"N'ything to report?" he asked just as quietly. Borus shrugged.

"They have not discovered out position yet, though one did come close today, as I heard earlier. No one has entered the perimeter." The man nodded again, before moving aside. Some snow fell away, and a passage, a very large passage to be hidden so easily, appeared in the ground. Borus entered on his horse, and the others followed. The passageway was well lit and became wider as they went deeper and deeper into the ground. Then, it opened up entirely, and what met the group's eyes amazed them. Chris moved to the head of the group, masking her surprise well. They all tried to hide the amazed looks on their faces that were visible even through the disguises, for before them stood a city, miles long and wide, and filled with people all dressed in black. Men, woman, and children roamed the streets. The civilians wore no masks hiding their face, so it was easy to tell who was a soldier and who was not.

Chris moved her group aside, nodded to each of them, and then picked a direction and headed in it. Their goal was to find the enemy's main base, and they had instead stumbled upon a city. The main base was still to be found, though Chris had a feeling it was in the large structure at the back of the city, on a dirt rise. The others went in their own separate directions, but Percival chose to turn and come after her. His horse nudged up beside her, and she noticed he had tied a white band around his arm. 'It might come in handy,' he mouthed. Chris nodded as slight as she could, and the two headed into the city.

……

A group of five scouts had gathered and headed toward the entrance. The guard molded from the door.

"We just finished scouting," said the head of the group. "Open the door."

The guard shook his head. "The scouting group just came back a little while ago." He drew his sword. "You are imposters." The head of the group blanched.

"What the hell do you mean, imposters?" He pulled out a badge from a pouch on his belt and practically shoved it in the guard's face. "See? We're no imposters."

"Shit." The guard allowed them through, then grabbed a tiny metal cup from the wall of the cave entrance. A wire led out its bottom and into the wall. "This is the front guard. Do you copy, receiver?" said the guard, speaking into the cup. He then put it to his ear.

"I copy front guard. What's the situation?" echoed a voice from the other end.

"We have a code blue five, receiver. Repeat, that was a code blue five. We have intruders."

………

Oooooooh, what now? Find out in the next chapter. By the way, anyone want to see an image of Roland and the snowman? It's _really_ bad, but somewhat funny. No I did not make the Roland in the image. I did make the snowman, though. Look at my profile for the link.

Thanks for reading!


	11. World’s Closest Shave and a Cut

Whew! This one took a while, but I think it was worth it. But seriously, guys and girls, I'm writing blind. I need to know if the characters are getting, well, out of character. When I say I need reviews, I mean I want critique of my writing. Spare me a moment more of your time and put in something you think was good or bad, or needs fixing. I spend a day or two writing each chapter, and all I want in return is your enjoyment and a little critique to improve my writing so you can all enjoy even more. A few seconds after reading is all I ask of you.

After all, I _do_ want to become a writer.

… Why are you all laughing?

Well, here's chapter eleven! Enjoy.

Whoa, whoops. Review responses first.

celeste: I do believe your suspicions may come true… but you have to read to find out. I'm glad that you reread, because I added stuff to the story that wasn't there before, and with that I clarified certain things. If you write something and then look back on it six months later, you'll often find there are a thousand things you want to change, which was my case. And thank you for the compliment.

Virtue: Yes, I probably enjoyed writing the snowman scene as much as you enjoyed reading it. And I'm happy that you're into it again! This chapter is probably going to murder all you people out there, but that'll just make the next chapter more worthwhile. I think. Keep on reading, Virtue, 'cause I enjoy your support.

_Now_ on with the chapter.

………

Chapter 11: World's Closest Shave and a Cut

The road Borus had taken led directly into the center of the city. He found it entirely baffling how they were deep underground, yet a sun shone brightly in a sky and clouds decorated the blue. He decided it was magic.

Daily life bustled around him; vendors on streets, families doing their business among said vendors. Minstrels sat on various objects, plucking merry tunes on their lutes and flutes. Well-dressed persons who looked as haughty as the Councilors of Zexen carried papers from one area to another. Couples sat outside restaurant talking of the daily news or whatever crossed their minds. Borus had to make sure he was not caught looking about in wonder. He had to fit in.

He passed many soldiers like himself. Few waved, many nodded, and he mimicked what he saw. He found himself wandering through a Vinay del Zexay–– one that was underground. He also found that the underground city was many times the size of Vinay del Zexay. It would make the Councilor's _jealous_.

He turned a street corner and noticed there were only soldiers on this street. They were all gathered and listening to a man with a blue ribbon tied around his arm. Borus joined them as quietly as possible and listened in on their discussion.

"… and so you must proceed carefully. They could be anywhere, and they are dressed as us. Ask each and every soldier you see for his or her badge. Should they show it, give them one of these." He held up a very bright orange ribbon. Bandits with white arm-ties passed out a cluster of these to each soldier. A tall and muscular one (from what he could see of the man, for the outfits hid almost everything) shoved a bunch at Borus, and he took them slowly.

"What's wrong, boy, they won't bite! Har har har!" The man laughed at his own joke before turning to another soldier. The man at the head of the gathering continued.

"Remember, every soldier must be accounted for. The intruders must be found!"

Borus froze.

So _that _is what this is all about. The other soldiers around him cheered the man with the blue arm-tie. "For the Black Bandits!" he called.

"For the Black Bandits!" the soldiers all called back, raising their arms in the air and shouting. Borus numbly raised his arm with them, but his mind was elsewhere. _I have to warn the others!_

……

Percival rubbed a hand back and forth across his chin underneath his mask. "I need a shave," he stated dumbly. Chris raised an eyebrow, adjusting the saber at her side, though otherwise ignoring the comment. Percival removed his hand from the mask and steered his horse closer the side of the road. Chris followed.

They had followed a main road through about half of the city, and were as awestruck as Borus was. They passed a park, healthy and green under the odd sun. Within dogs barked happily as owners tossed a stick; families picnicked near a softly lapping pond, and an elderly woman fed swans. Chris watched the people with an impassive look. But Percival knew that she wished she were one of them. Out of war, out of battle and blood shed, a dream in its own.

An odd feeling passed over him, as though he were being watched. Chris seemed to feel it too. They both glanced behind them, and sure enough, another bandit in black was riding behind them, an orange ribbon tied on tight. In one of his hands was a large amount of the same orange ribbons, though it looked as though there had once been more. The bandit noticed them looking, and called out.

"Halt! Hold up!" That was all Chris needed to hear before squeezing her horse's sides and picking up the pace. Percival was right with her, and they turned a corner. They entered a deserted alleyway and headed for its entrance onto another street. But the man in black was right behind them, and to their horror, another one appeared in front of them from the other street.

"Shit." Percival looked back and forth between the two before wildly reining his horse down another branch of the alleyway, Chris following right behind. Both bandits followed them down the narrow alleyway, and there was barely room for two horses to move side-by-side. Percival moved through the maze of paths, turning left, then right, then left, then left again. Chris did all she could to keep from falling off her horse as she followed recklessly after him, though she feared they would have to split up eventually.

Eventually never came.

"Damn it all, a dead end!" Percival found himself saying. He turned his horse around in the tight space, as did Chris, and they both unsheathed their swords. The first bandit came around the corner. He looked as though he meant to speak, but the second swerved around the corner, panting heavily.

"You there! What do you think you're doing? Show me your identification!" The second one said. The first one looked back and forth between Chris and Percival, and the second bandit. "I said show me some identification!"

Chris and Percival looked at each other, steeled themselves, and turned back ready to fight. But the first bandit held up a hand to the second before they attacked. "These two have badges. They just showed them to me. Were you as good on your horse as you are with demands, you would have been here to see them." The second growled, unsheathing his own saber from his side. The first held up his hand again, farther out this time. "You mean to fight your own? Save it for the Zexens."

The second spat before sheathing his sword and wheeling his horse around. The horse's hoof beats faded, and the first bandit turned back to Percival and Chris. "Glad to see you two are okay." Chris and Percival exchanged confused looks. The bandit seemed to realize, and pulled off his mask. Golden locks fell from beneath it, and a handsome face to boot. Borus smiled at their surprise. "Thought you two would like to know that our presence is known."

Percival sheathed his saber with a mumble of, "We figured as much." Chris let out a sigh, casing her sword as well. Borus cast his gaze over her; no harm done, he concluded. He suddenly remembered the orange bands in his hand and gave them one. Percival eyed them curiously.

"What are these for?" Chris asked, voicing Percival's thoughts.

"Put them on; they will mark you as having your badge."

"Badge?" Chris asked, wrapping the orange tie around her arm. "I was not aware we needed one," she said dryly.

"As long as you have these orange ribbons, it will be fine. I can explain everything later. We must continue on before we are discovered." Borus pulled his mask back over his head.

"I wonder how the others fare," Chris asked, though mostly to herself. Percival and Borus glanced at each other, deciding something in their secret language, before exiting the alley. Chris followed.

"We are lucky we had you," she heard Percival say to Borus up ahead. "That was a close shave." His hand went back to his chin. ""Much closer than I needed."

……

They were almost upon the enemy base. It rose tall above them on a dangerous looking cliff. The majority of people in the area were now soldiers rather than townsfolk. None of them gave the three standing idly a second glance. A long road wound up and around the cliff, and with a nod of their heads, they continued up the road. Everyone there had an orange band; some had both orange and white, very few with orange and blue. They stopped at the top of the rise, and the structure rose above them. It was a castle of sorts, and though nothing like Brass Castle, it was still gigantic.

"Milady," Borus said urgently. She looked, and he pointed at the entrance. Everyone who entered showed their badge to the guards at the door. "How are we to enter?" Chris opened her mouth to speak, but words never came.

"You there!" The voice directed at the three scared them. They turned to see a man with a blue arm-band. He looked up at them from the ground. "What do you think you're doing? We don't have time for dilly-dallying, you get your asses to the stable then get inside." When they did not move, the man grabbed the reins of all three horses, two with one hand, and dragged them to the stables, which were to the right of the entrance. He yelled at them every other second, and they left their horses tacked but cozy. "Now hurry up! His Lordship doesn't have all day!"

He shoved them back outside then toward the entrance. The guards at the entrance, holding menacing looking pikes, crossed the pikes over the doorway as they tried to get through. Percival and Borus looked at each other nervously. Then the man came up behind them and _thwacked _the guards on their heads with the hilt of his saber. "Let us through, damn it, the speech is about to start!" The guards did not lower the pikes.

The man with the blue arm-tie became furious. "Here's my damned identification!" He pulled out a badge, and the pikes were uncrossed. "Now hurry up," he said to the three bewildered knights. He pushed them through the entrance, and they suddenly found themselves in a throng of other soldiers, all heading to a large room. A sort of stage stood at its head. The soldiers, including Chris, Borus, and Percival, were organized into lines facing front. Everyone quieted down as the great oak doors at the back closed and a man on the stage stood. He wore no arm-band, but a cloak with its hood drawn up.

Chris remembered the feeling as he cast his gaze on everyone in the room. The gaze of the cold and_ unseeable, non-human eyes driving into her own_. She shuddered slightly, and the cold that had engulfed her before returned. Whenever she blinked, she remembered the feeling of her rune losing control, the hopelessness, and Borus cry of pain when the shard of ice had shot out from the ground. _There is no doubt about it,_ she told herself, _this is the man that led the attack that day._ She was sure of it. The feeling passed over her, and the cloaked figure spoke.

"Soldiers of the Black Bandits! I call you here today to discuss the matters of intruders." Percival's eye twitched, though no one saw. "As of now, there are still three on the loose. We have captured two." The bandits cheered at this. "And, we have caught a spy."

The figure turned around and brought forth a bound and gagged man in Harmonian attire. Chris could not believe it. _Harmonia? How is Harmonia involved in this?_ Some soldiers around them booed while others murmured to each other uncomfortably. The figure placated their calls with a wave of his hand.

"Though he may be of our own kin, as we were once Harmonian, we are not anymore, and he is now the enemy. Harmonia has betrayed us! We must strike back against them, and we will. But the Zexens come first. Now, find the remaining intruders! Do a badge check on everyone without orange. Check the alleyways and city edges.

"Should you find them, bring them here to me. I will deal with them. Remember that I want them alive! Now go, find them! Our next great battle will be soon! This War of Liberation will end in our victory! We will free the world of its chains, in the name of the Black Bandits!" The soldiers cheered and wildly applauded, chanting "Black Bandits" over and over again. Then they filed out of the room, assembling in groups and going out on a search.

"So they have been captured," murmured Chris when the three found a safe place among the other bandits to talk.

"It seems that way," agreed Percival. "Perhaps they were not lucky enough to get their hands on either a badge or an orange ribbon."

"Well we cannot leave them here," stated Chris, glancing around to be sure they were not being watched. "They may torture them for information; those men were trained for reconnaissance, not torture. We have to get them out." Borus nodded his agreement, but Percival was thinking.

"Suppose we get caught?" he speculated. "Then what? We'd have no one to give what information we already have to Salome to use if necessary, and no one to even tell what has become of us." He let the two take this in. "I will head back to base and have Salome send for reinforcements. There must be thousands here ready to fight, and we've only five-hundred, give or take a few." Chris bit her lip, but she knew he was right.

They said their goodbyes, and Percival left through the large oak doors after handing Borus something. Chris and Borus followed shortly after, though they headed blindly further into the castle (rather than out of it) in hopes of stumbling upon their comrades. After nearly an hour of searching, they had long since realized that the castle was much bigger than it seemed.

"This is getting us no where," Borus whispered quietly. "We are in the dark here."

"Any bright ideas then?" Chris responded, smirking at her own pun. Borus visibly flinched.

"I may have one, in fact," he said smugly after a moment. He pulled the white ribbon Percival had once possessed from a pouch at his side and tied it around his arm above the orange, as he had seen others do.

To Chris's shock, he roughly seized her arms and put them behind her back. She automatically resisted, not realizing a soldier was passing by. The soldier looked at them in curiosity. "Stop resisting, spy!" Borus ordered of her. He turned to the guard while Chris still struggled against his strong grip. "Excuse me, I just caught one of the intruders." He grunted when Chris elbowed him in the side. "His Lordship ordered that she be placed within the prisoner cells. I'm new here––" he stopped to adjust his grip, "Where are the prisoner cells?" The soldier eyed Chris curiously, before responding.

"Awfully odd that a greenie be in white rank, eh? But mayb' that's just 'cause yer good." He paused. "Take a left up 'head, then go straight 'till you reach some stairs. At the bottom's the dungeons, if that's what His Lordship be meanin' by 'Prisoner Cells,'" Borus nodded his thanks before shoving Chris (gently, she thought) in the direction the soldier had pointed. As soon as they rounded the corner, Borus released his grip on her, and she rubbed her wrists tenderly. Borus dropped to one knee.

"Milady, I deeply apologize for my disrespect to you in that situation. I do not know what came over me and will accept any punishment you feel is necessary." He waited, eyes shut, as though he expected Chris to sock him one in the face.

"Rise, Sir Borus," she said firmly, though her eyes smiled. "You did well to do as you did. If not for your quick thinking, we may have never found the location of the dungeons."

"But Lady Chris, I––"

"I said _rise_, Borus." He did. "Now let us help our soldiers. They must be safe, and they may have information that would prove useful to us." Chris began to walk down the hallway, and Borus, feeling as though he had done something inexcusable, hung his head low. He followed her, but realized he was lucky. If it were someone–– _anyone_ else–– who had been in Chris's shoes, his head would surly be on the ground, the Captain's dog's chew toy. He was quite lucky, he understood, to have Chris.

The hallway ended abruptly and stairs wound deep into the earth. Chris did not pause at their start, though she proceeded carefully at their end. The dungeons were a collection of barred cells, about twenty of them on each side of the room. They cautiously walked down the length of the room glancing into each cell to look for the Zexen prisoners.

"Something is not right," Chris spoke as she reached the end. "These cells, all of them are _empty_. There is no one here."

"Ah, but on the contrary," spoke a voice from the shadows. "You are here, are you not, Lady Christine Lightfellow, and Sir Borus Redrum.".

"Who's there?" Borus bellowed toward the shadows. "Show yourself, coward!"

_Christine?_ Chris thought idly. _No one has called me that in ages_. She jumped back as the cloaked figure from the stage seemed to mold from the shadows.

"Do not worry, your friends are safe and sound, though from now on that entirely depends on your cooperation." From the same shadows the figure had appeared from, twenty soldiers emerged and surrounded the two knights in disguise, closing in. They seemed to move too fast to be human. Blue bands ornamented their arms. The figure cackled insanely.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Miss Lightfellow."

………

Ho ho ho! Sorry to leave you guys in suspense like this, but I'm hoping it'll be worth it by the end of the story. When will that be you ask? Certainly _not_ the next few chapters, I'm afraid.

The next chapter will be a bit gruesome. I'm not exactly sure how it's going to come out yet, but it'll have a bit of blood. My "Teen" rating may not cut it, but I'll warn you at the beginning of the chapter if need be.

Actually, I'll warn you now. The next chapter will be rated M for MATURE. I know because it's already done. I like being a chapter ahead.

If you did not read my starting notes to the chapter, please read them now.

Thanks for reading, folks. Stay alive; the next one'll be a doozey!


	12. Torture

WARNING: This chapter has been rated M for Mature. If you are younger than 13 years old ('cause if you aren't you're going to read it anyway), do not like guts and gore, or are uncomfortable reading mature content, please consider skipping from the end of the paragraph starting with "Ah, so you're awake…" to "It's _painfully_ obvious." I am not responsible for any complaint you may have toward the decency of this chapter. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

I want to let you all know that this chapter was supposed to end in suspense. But I know I hate reading stories that end like that, so I ended with a little tid-bit of story to quell any hate you may have had toward me for ending the last chapter in suspense. Okay, it's more than a tid-bit, but whatever. I don't see you guys complaining!

………

Chapter 12: Torture

Consciousness joined Chris like a weight dragging down her body. She tried to sit up, but could not. Her arms ached and were numb, and her body refused to move. She opened her eyes, but could see nothing.

Blackness swirled around her as though she were the center of a tornado. It was above her and below her and everywhere at once. She groaned.

"Ah, so you're awake…" spoke a voice that swam around the black void. She was spinning, spinning in the nothingness that surrounded her. She felt nauseous. Suddenly a light, brighter than even the sun, it seemed, lit in front of her like an anchor. Her spinning world came to a jarring halt, and she could not hold in the contents of her stomach.

She finally realized it was her head that was spinning, and she was still. She was against a wall, upright. A little more experimenting told her that her arms were chained to the wall, and she was hanging from them. She shook her head gently, and found that it helped clear her head. Something came to her lips, and after finding it to be water, she drank.

"Where am I?" she finally spoke, now that her voice could be heard. Something slammed into her gut, and her breath _whooshed_ from her lungs.

"Do not speak unless you are asked a question, Miss Lightfellow." Chris struggled to breath, to remember where she was, and how she got there. She tried to see, but the blinding light left everything else with a glare. She managed to make out boots standing next to the light.

She remembered she and Percival and Borus… no Percival had left; it was only she and Borus. And they were looking for something… no, someone. The prisoners… the Zexens who were imprisoned! With that, all memory returned to her head. _And right now_, she asked her self, _where am I now?_ The answer came quickly as she remembered the last words she had heard before the dark.

"_I'm looking forward to working with you, Miss Lightfellow."_

Now she realized. She was about to be tortured for information. She licked her lips. "If… if you're going to torture me," she managed, "why give me water?" The voice chuckled, and her suspicions were confirmed. It was the man in the cloak who was about to torture her.

"Because I want to hear your screams. They really do bring me pleasure." The man chuckled to himself again. Chris did not speak. "Now, we might as well begin." She heard the slap of plastic; perhaps he was putting on gloves. "You see this light," he started, and she could almost see a hand motion toward the blinding glow, "this is the power of a modified lightning rune, created in a process perfected by my scientists. It slowly saps anyone in its rays of energy, and the more energy it saps, the faster it takes in energy. So answer my questions quickly and I will end its use. If you do not cooperate, I can't say how long you will live." He clapped his hands together. "Now, what are you doing in my city?"

Chris struggled against her restraints. She did not want to answer him. She did not want to tell him anything. But she knew she had to make the decision as to whether she would resist and perhaps die, or go along with it and escape. The voices in her head decided unanimously. She would resist; it was the only good she could do for Zexen anymore. She could not lead now, she could not fight, she could not stand in the enemy's way. But she could resist. "I never… knew this was… your city." She again felt pain in her gut, and her breath poured out of her. It was a few seconds before she could breath again.

"I will ask again. What are you doing in my city?"

"Sightseeing," Chris managed to wheeze. "It's all the rage––" Suddenly her right hand seared in pain. Chris gasped, all the nerves in her body screaming. She thought it the rune, but she saw a hand. The cloaked figure had reached out and grabbed her hand, his thumb on its back and his other four fingers on her palm, squeezing. She cried out in pain. Then it ceased. She took many deep breaths.

"I know all about your rune troubles, Lightfellow. I know how it's been causing you pain. It was easy to amplify it with a little undetectable poison. That poison still goes through you now, for your foolish menders were unable to detect it. I don't know why you cannot control the rune, but all the better reason to use it against you." He paused, as though considering whether or not to continue on the subject. "Now, let's try a different question. What are the current locations of Hugo and Geddoe? And of the True Runes you know of, who currently controls them?"

"When you say Hugo… you do mean my uncle, right?" There was a stinging sensation in her cheek and she was slapped. Blood trickled down her cheek and jaw where the man's nails had sliced her skin. She in return spat on the man's boots. He seized her chin and held it up to his face, though it was shrouded in the shadow of a hood. She glared defiantly into the space where she guessed his eyes were. She could almost seem him glaring back, thinking. The man released her chin and began to laugh.

"Fine, girl, we'll play it your way. Enjoy the state you're in now, Miss Lightfellow, because when I'm done with you, you won't be able to find your limbs." Chris braced herself. She knew there was no turning back now, and should she fall unconscious, she may never wake up. She could already feel the effects of the strange light, and she would have to think carefully about what she did. "Now, where are Hugo and Geddoe? Did you contact them for help?"

"I do not know," she said honestly through gritted teeth. _Pain!_ It exploded in her left arm as though the orange ribbon she had at one point worn had grown teeth and began to tighten. She saw soon enough the glint of steel. She bit her lip, eyes wide, to try not to show how much it hurt. Her arm fell limp, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not flex it, even move it. She was afraid that her own weight would pull it off completely (for she was hanging, you must remember), and she attempted to relieve it of her weight. She could feel hot liquid spilling down it, onto her shoulder and neck. She whimpered.

"Where is the rest of your camp located? We know you could not be foolish enough to only be in an encampment of five-hundred. So where?" Chris almost chuckled.

"You could check… in Brass Castle and… and Budehuc Castle," she inhaled shakily. "You are bound… to find some of my… troops there." This time it was below her breasts where he sliced. There was a sickening scrape as the man's weapon hit her rib. She gagged on pain. The blood from her arm mixed with the blood from her abdomen and ran down her like a red dress. She felt the flap of skin above her stomach fall loose. She was on fire, burning from within as the pain throbbed with every heartbeat. Dizziness met what was left of her eyesight. "Bastard…" she barely managed to remove from her throat. She did not feel his slap; the pain from elsewhere blinded her to it. She was sure that her arm would come lose at any moment, and her innards would come spilling out onto the floor from the wound to her body. _I am going to die…_ she thought shakily. _I am… really going to die…_ Her eyes began to roll as the throbbing became overwhelming. She could not breath.

The man spat, then laughed as though it were all a joke. "It's _painfully_ obvious," he said, his pun reaching Chris from miles away, "that you have been trained for torture. I suppose I cannot get anything out of you, even if I were to sever every limb on your body." His voice echoed off of invisible walls before they met Chris's ears. She had no more energy, she was dizzy from blood loss, and had a hard time fighting for consciousness. The man's voice was overpowered by a steady thumping, _bum-bum_… _bum-bum_… _bum-bum_… The beats began to slow, getting louder and louder. _Bum-bum_… … _bum-bum_… …_bum-bum_… Once again the darkness swarmed around her, and all senses were lost; she could not see, hear, taste, feel, or smell.

"_Chris…! CHRIS!"_ She heard her name being called above the sound, but it was quickly drowned out by the beats. They slowed and slowed…

_Bum_… _bum_…. …. … _bum_… … _bum_… … …

… until they stopped.

……

Borus strode across of the cell. When he reached a wall, he turned. He did not care where he was. He only cared that he did not know where _Chris_ was. "Goddess damn them, damn them all!" he muttered in anger. "If only I knew that she was okay… Perhaps she will be smart and cooperate with them…" He paused in his pacing. "Damn _wishful_ _thinking_!" He whirled around and kicked the back of the cell. Why had they not interrogated _him?_ Why did she have to _volunteer_? He screamed inside his head at the sinking feeling inside his stomach; he did not like it, he did not want it, _and I sure as Hell don't need it! _He stopped his movements when he heard the creak of a door opening in the room. Across from his cell, the two knights that had been caught lay unconscious. From what Borus could see of them, they were okay, if not a little bruised. They had been imprisoned in the 'second' dungeon. _Too bad we were shown to the first…_ He turned his attention back to the sounds of feet walking down the aisle.

Two black-clad guards carried a body wearing red clothes to his cell, opening the door and throwing the body in. After locking the door, they departed down the hallway. Borus approached the body warily. He did not recognize the man with short hair from the back. He grabbed a red sleeve and turned the body over and gagged when he saw who it was. And the pit of his stomach seemed to laugh at him, as if saying "Ignore me, will you? See what you get for it!"

"Oh Chris…" he collapsed at her side, adjusting her still body. Her shirt had been white; now it was red, soaked all the way through. Her once long and beautiful silver hair had been cut short as if to mock her after death. He checked for a pulse, and grew frantic when there was none. He checked again. And again. "Damn it, _no_! No, this can't––" He tried to use CPR, a practice that was taught to every knight. But no amount of the action could bring breath into and out of her lungs.

Borus smashed the hard dirt floor with his fist as his world crumbled before him. The Silver Maiden of Zexen, the Goddess of mortals, the light in the dark, Christine Lightfellow, was dead.

And there was nothing such a simple nobleman as Borus could do about it.

……

A soft wind fell against her face. She rolled over in the comfy featherbed and pulled the covers tighter over her shoulder. _So tired… I just want to sleep…_ She felt comfortable in this strange place, where the wind blew gently and everything was a comfortable white, and all her worries were forgotten. She felt as though she were in the arms of Sadie herself. She began to fall asleep, when she heard her name.

"Chris," the voice called softly, oddly familiar and homey. "Chris, you must wake up. You cannot sleep just yet. You cannot forget." Chris murmured unintelligible words of protest. "No, you cannot sleep five more minutes. There is no time. No time for one minute, let alone five." Chris turned over, away from the voice, pulling the covers of her bed over her head. "If you do not wake up now, all will be lost. You cannot forget your worries. Everything you had lived for, all for naught."

Chris stirred at this. "Mmm… _had_ lived?" she questioned through a yawn.

"That is right. You are no longer living, or, not naturally, anyway. Please get up, my little Chris." Chris opened her eyes and was greeted with the soft white that surrounded her. She turned toward the voice, but could only see a transparent silhouette.

"Your little… father? Is that you?" she asked of the shadow. The head nodded. Tears filled Chris's eyes. Tears of hate for his abandonment; tears of joy for his appearance.

"It has been a while, has it not? But there is no time for small talk. People need you now Chris. Your worries are not meant to be forgotten. You must remember. The rune, it keeps you alive now, because it knows there is no one else. But this is only temporary."

"Why would the rune keep me alive? I can no longer control it. What use am I to it anymore?" The whiteness began to blanket her again, and her father's voice came more urgently now.

"Chris, you never truly lost control over the rune. It is the rune that has lost control over you. Runes use emotion to decide an attack. But you have always kept your emotions pent up inside you. When you used the rune, it forcibly released your emotions, and then found them overpowering after being kept for so long. That is why it lost control, Christine, because your emotions overpowered it…

"It keeps you alive now because it thinks you can still do something to stop the madness of that man." His voice became a little clearer as the whiteness moved away. "Just because I am dead does not mean I am truly gone, my little Chris," he said lovingly. "I live with you in the rune, as do all other had-been bearers of the True Water Rune. We will all fight alongside you; you will never be alone. But you must feel. You must not hide the emotions you have for others, such as the knight who weeps for you now. Embrace them instead, and use them to your advantage!"

Chris found herself pulling away the covers in an urge to get out of bed and into action. The whiteness lifted away completely, replaced by a gentle blue aura. But her shadow-father held up a hand to slow her down. "You are about to wake to a world of pain. If you do not stay awake after that, the rune will have no energy to spare for you. We had-been bearers root for you, Chris. And I, your father, love you very much. Should you need me," he shouted as he moved away into the backdrop, "call for me with the rune and I will come."

"Thank you, father…" Chris whispered, then called it out at the top of her lungs in hopes that he would hear her. She still sat on her bed, her feet dangling over its edge. She took one deep breath before plunging into the blue.

"The cold," echoed his voice, "the cold will plague you no more."

……

The pain was immense. Her arm and torso were on fire, and white zigzagged across her vision like lightning. She felt herself being pushed back into nothingness, but refused to go. She held on to her consciousness for her dear life, and grasped it firmly before attempting to do anything else. That done, she now experimentally opened an eye; It worked! She opened her other, but it shut quickly on reflex. It seemed to be raining. Drops fell from above and landed on her face, rolling down her cheeks. She used her open eye to look up, and found that she was indoors. A large blurred blob was above her left side, and it took some strain to focus on it.

It was in fact Borus. And he was… weeping? Yes, she saw, it was his tears that she felt on her face. She suddenly felt guilty for making him suffer. She remembered her father saying something about feelings for him. She knew he was right, and forced herself to admit it no matter how much she did not want to. She knew it would interfere with her work, but she also knew she had no choice in the matter. Her right arm, her _good_ arm, moved slightly. Then she brought her hand up to his chin, and he started at her touch.

"Ch-ch-Chris?" He backed out of her vision momentarily before moving back into it closer to her head. "You're… by the gods, you are alive…" His eyes glistened, filled with renewed hope.

Chris licked her dry lips and tried to speak. It came out rasping, but she swallowed and it became better. "Back up…" Borus looked at her as though she had just asked if Roland had told that joke. But he shook his head and stood back. Chris flexed her right hand before calling on the healing power of her rune. She let the rune read her emotions, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, the rune began to work. Joy consumed her.

Its blue aura spread around Chris like a large Christmas light, and Chris felt her pain begin to depart. She put all her energy into the healing, knowing that she could not stop with the job half done. After what seemed like hours, there was nothing left to heal, or no healing left, and the aura disappeared. Borus approached her again, but now she was asleep. They both knew there was no featherbed now, but to Chris it felt like the softest featherbed the world had to offer.

………

Well then. Only a few chapters to go, though I may regret saying this. How was that? There was no way I could have possibly described the pain Chris went through, because I would have to be the story teller of story tellers. And I am not. But it was darn painful, let me tell you. I'm looking forward to comments and reviews, and any predictions you guys may have. Don't be shy, say a what's on your mind.

Also, if anyone can guess what is going to happen in the next chapter, they will be able to view the next chapter (as long as you are a registered user on FFN or supply your email) before it's posted! Good luck, and may the best guesser win.


	13. Half of a Jail Break

This chapter is 25 to 50 percent longer than your normal chapter! Woohoo! I had fun writing this one, but only because I know what's going to happen next… heh heh heh… Many things are uncovered in this chapter, my friends and faithful readers. Quick, take a guess about who the mysterious man is! No, it's not Luc. Luc go bye bye in the actual game, people, he's _dead_. Or is he? Well, that's for story tellers to decide, I suppose. I have a feeling none of you will get it right anyway, but you guys keep on trying!

My apologies, celeste9, I did not respond to your review in chapter 11. So I'll do that now. If you think _that_ chapter left you in suspense, wait till you read _this_ one. This one is going to leave you killing me till I'm dead. BWAH-HAHAHAH!

Fallen Dragon: I'm going I'm going! It takes time to write these things with school and stuff. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

This story is just too fun, folks. However, I think school is totally ruining what joy people would get out of this. So when I finish the story, I'll repost it a couple times to let those who missed it read it again.

………

Chapter 13: Half of a Jail Break

It took Chris a moment to realize who she was, where she was, even what she was. She was so tired, exhausted beyond the limits of her body. She needed more sleep. _But there is no time!_ screamed her inner voice. She was lying on her stomach, of that she was sure. The floor was hard, dirt, she decided. There was a dank smell of the place, and she remembered a cell, and Borus's face. At the thought of her soldier, a pang of guilt and worry surged through her. She creaked one eye open.

It was the same cell she remembered. A small flickering light shed a glow into the cell from the opposite side of her head. She dared not turn her head yet. She waited, and sure enough, a shadow passed over the cell in front of the light. She used all of her abilities to assess the situation she would otherwise have no time to assess. _… a man… by the way he carries himself… heavy, slow gait… one and a half seconds and about two feet per step._ She strained her ears to listen further. His boots did not echo to her right, but the did to her left. _A wall to my right then, and a long passage to the left…_

The shadow seemed to reach the wall Chris imagined in her head, stop momentarily, then turn. As soon she heard his boots spin across the floor in the motion that accompanied his turnaround, she began to count. _one, two, three…_ At fifteen seconds she could not hear his footsteps. _Thirty-nine, forty…_ Something behind her shifted. _What was that?... damn, I lost count…_ She waited for the man to appear again and turn, and began counting. Again, at fifteen, she could no longer hear his boots. She waited, making sure not to lose track. At reaching a minute and twenty-five seconds, she heard his footsteps again, echoing down the corridor, and at a minute and forty seconds, the shadow reached the wall, paused for two seconds, and turned. Chris began doing the math in her head. _Roughly two feet per stride, about one and a half seconds per step, fifty seconds from one end to the other…_ she thought, double-checking her calculations. _Then the corridor is roughly sixty-seven feet long, give or take a foot or so._ From what she could see of the cell, she guessed it was about seven feet across at its front. _Then nine cells until the end of the corridor, leaving four feet for a door. How many are occupied?_ She smirked to herself despite the immediate situation; Salome would be proud.

The guard returned, turned around, and began again down the corridor. After his footsteps faded, Chris steeled herself to move in the fifty seconds she had, then moved a stiff hand, palm to the floor, elbow perpendicular to the floor and at her side. With a grunt of effort in her tired state, she managed to successfully roll herself over. In her vision now was Borus, propped against the cell's dirt wall, and two figures across from her cell. Borus was unconscious, but she saw that his chest rose and fell. So did those of the others. She let out a rather large sigh–– then quickly repressed as much of it as she could when she heard the guard approaching again. 'Goddess, he moved faster this time around!' His steps faltered, and Chris shut her eyes and tried to remain as still as she could. He approached the cell cautiously now, and Chris cursed her mouth and lungs. A shadow fell over the flickering light, eyes searching the cell. She held her breath and remained as still as she could; she did _not_ want to be discovered alive, or at least awake. She had a strange hunch that they thought she was dead, for in all truth, she had been.

When the shadow did not move after what she felt was a minute, cold sweat began to form on her forehead, and her breath bulged in her lungs. Finally, when she was sure she would burst, the shadow moved, as though hesitating. A sudden idea came to her mind, and she considered putting it into action. It would be risky, she knew, for no weapon accompanied her. She knew that the guard would not bother to patrol if she, Borus, and the others across from them were the only prisoners. She would deal with them later, she decided. Very carefully, she opened one eye, looking at the guard through her eyelashes so that he could not catch the gleam of her eye in the light. He moved again, then resumed his patrol duties, just as he turned and his eyes were off her, she made a very tiny, barely audible whistle, then shut her mouth.

The man spun around now, convinced that something had made a noise. He seemed to be considering Borus; perhaps he was snoring, Chris saw him think. He seemed to dismiss it as this, and as he turned, Chris let out something that sounded like a meow. Entirely frustrated, the guard drew his sword, unlocked the cell, and entered. Chris could not have hoped for more as he stepped over her; he really thought she was dead! Just as the man did step over her, one leg on Borus's side of her, one leg on the side of the cell door, Chris balled her fists together, and with all the power she could muster from her position, she punched upward between the man's conveniently parted legs.

The man stopped short, shook for a moment, then collapsed on top of Chris. She had done her job well, and the man would be unconscious for an hour. With an effort, she pushed him off of her, and scuttled back until she was leaning on the wall next to Borus. She let loose her breath, and it took her a moment to get her wind back, but when she did, she pushed off the wall so that she was on her knees, then, using the wall for support, stood. She felt her regaining her energies from adrenalin, but she knew the rush wouldn't last. She needed food. Surprisingly, or not surprisingly (however you chose to look at it), she was not at all thirsty.

The guard taken care of, she snatched the keys from his side, looked at his clothing, then looked at her own. She had an intense urge to rip the blood-soaked shirt from her body. But she did not find pleasure in being seen nude, especially with one of her esteemed colleagues in the area. She looked back to the guard's clothing. _A little big, but it will have to do._ She stripped the guard of his clothing albeit leaving his cloth underwear, and taking a glance at Borus, then those across from their cell, she pulled of the stiff, smelly, and sticky shirt she had been forced to wear before the torturing. She quickly slipped into the baggy pants of the bandit guard, tightening the belt. She noticed a badge hidden in the folds of his clothing, and quickly pocketed it.

Next she went through the painstaking process of wrapping her upper body with the black material that the man once had on him. She knew she was lucky he was so large, rather than smaller than her. If he was, she would never be able to wrap up her entire body with the material. That done, she pulled on his over-shirt, followed by a strange band with a pendant at its center that went over her head, then attached to her belt, the pendent at the center of her chest. She had had to use it when the company of five had originally disguised themselves to enter the city. Salome had suggested that it was there to hold the material under the over-shirt in place. She had to admit, it did secure it.

Feeling much cleaner, she turned her gaze to Borus, and shook him gently. He stirred, then his eyes shot open and he reached for his sword. It was, of course, not there, and Chris spoke up. As soon as he saw it was her in the uniform, he visibly relaxed, getting up and stretching. He seemed to remember something, and he turned around and studied Chris carefully.

"Milady," he started. She blushed slightly as she watched his eyes go from her arm to her chest where they stuck. She absently thanked the Goddess for the darkness of the cell. "You are alright? Fully healed?" She remembered the horrible pain of the chest wound, and the feeling that her arm would fall from her body, and shuddered.

"Thank you for your concern, Borus, but the rune did its job well. If anything, there are scars. But the pain is gone." Borus nodded, his eyes returning to her face. She saw something flick in his eye, a pang of something. She looked at him quizzically. "Is there… something amiss?" He seemed to search for words.

"My lady…" He seemed to fight with something. Finally he sighed, as though giving up. _Better to tell her now,_ he decided. "Milady, your… your hair…" Chris's eyebrows rose and she lifted a hand to her back. Then her shoulders. Then her neck. Her eyes widened even more as she reached her ears, where she finally felt her hair. Her bottom lip trembled, and her eyes became glazed. But she removed her hand and shook her head, her newly shortened hair splaying like a dancer's gown.

"My hair and looks matter not at the moment… after all… it will grow back with time…" Borus saw that she was only saying this to convince herself rather than he. She pushed the thought from her mind. "Now we must escape, but we must free those who are allied to our cause." When Borus looked at her in question, she said, "The _prisoners_, Borus. There are others here with us." Together they left the cell. Borus still had his bandit outfit on, but the guard had confiscated his mask and his orange band. He would be spotted out like a sore thumb. They needed to find him a mask.

Chris moved to the cell opposite to their own and unlocked the door with the guard's keys. She moved to one and Borus the other, and brought the men out of their slumber. They said many prayers to Sadie that their captain and Sir were safe before aiding Chris and Borus is helping the other prisoners. Not all cells in the sixty-seven-foot dungeon were occupied, but at least half of them were. The first cell examined held the Harmonian man Borus and Percival had seen at the gathering. He rose after a shaking and stood rigid when he saw four people dressed as bandits around him. But Chris was quick to explain who they were and the situation. "I am Chris," she started, "and this is Borus, and…" she went on to explain how they had gotten there. One of the soldiers offered the man a hand, and he took it gratefully, standing up.

He studied Chris for a second, then his eyes widened beneath bushy eyebrows. The man was older than all the others, in at least his forties, but he had a wise look to him and looked skilled with a weapon. "Chris… you mean, Lady Chris, of the Zexen Knights?" Chris nodded. The man opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short and shut his mouth. They found a dead man with graying hair in the next occupied (or previously occupied) cell. He looked to have been one of the bandits, but none of them were sure. The Harmonian spy said a few words of prayer before asking if he would be allowed to change into the man's garb. Chris nodded her head and continued down the aisle, the other Zexens on her tail.

The next three cells contained three "deserters," as they called themselves. They said they had seen through His plans and tried to run away and find help. They were caught and imprisoned. Chris openly welcomed their help. Another dead person was in the last occupied stall. One of the deserters shook his head, muttering, "… too young…" The bushy-eyebrowed Harmonian emerged from the cell of the first dead man in bandit garb and joined them.

"There is nothing more for us here," Borus said, turning to look at everyone. "Now we must escape. We have no masks or orange bands, which we must obtain immediately. Lady Chris received one from the guard." Now Chris looked at Borus and the two Zexen reconnaissance knights.

"My dear friends, it is time to knock some heads together." They nodded. Then she turned to the three deserters and the Harmonian. "You will help us escape?" One of the deserters nodded eagerly.

"Anything to escape ourselves and bring Him down." The Harmonian pulled at his mustache.

"We must leave soon. Already that man knows of our escape."

……

Percival's horse snorted, foaming at the mouth. He had ridden his steed hard through the city's furthermost outskirts, but had been blocked at the exit. Finally, the guards changed duty after an hour of hiding, and Percival urged his horse through at the last moment. Now he was avoiding Bandit scouts in the dark of night. He galloped around a hill, but there was a scout! He pulled his horse to a stop and whispered in his ear. The horse's ear flicked back, listening to his soothing tone. As trained, the horse quieted down.

The Bandit passed without noticing the two and turned around another hill. Percival inched his horse around the hill and was glad to get a clear view of the Zexen camp. Without a second thought, he urged his horse into a full gallop. Snow flew out behind them. There was no bandit who could catch them now.

Percival had known Chris and Borus had been caught. Apparently the rumor had started in the fortress and spread through the city as fast as lighting among the soldiers. Percival had overheard two talking on their way to scouting shifts. He needed to pass the information on to Salome. He also wanted to tell Salome to send a message to Hugo and Geddoe to hide. The Guy, as Percival had begun to call him in his head, would surly be after them once he had Chris's rune. After hearing the rumor, he had had the strongest urge to run back and help Chris and Borus escape. But his duty was to get information to Salome, and he would not fail.

The lights from camp became brighter and brighter until finally the entrance was mere yards in front of him. He absently hailed the guard, who started at his quick approach.

"Milord!" he called out as Percival surged past. "This is a no-galloping zone!" The guard was completely and thoroughly ignored. Percival made a sharp turn, his horse skidding but maintaining control, and then there was Salome's tent. He was off his horse before the poor creature could even stop itself, and Percival ran to the tent flap, knocking loudly on a piece of wood there for that purpose.

"Salome, come quick! I have urgent news." Shortly after, a light flickered on, then Salome appeared at the door with the funniest night cap Percival had ever seen. He would have laughed if his information was not so important. "Salome, Lady Chris, Sir Borus and the two other knights have been captured." Salome rubbed what was left of sleep from his eyes.

"Come in, Percival, and tell me everything."

……

The eight escapees ran through the corridors. The deserters and Harmonian spy, known as Herman, seemed to know their way around. Quickly, seven bandits had been knocked out, seven bands taken from their arms, seven badges discovered in their clothing, and seven masks pulled from their heads. They came to a more frequented hallway and fell into step with other soldiers going about their business. Finally they reached the entrance, their exit, and walked through into night. Chris shook her head when she saw a moon in the sky. _How…?_ she found herself asking. Herman, the Harmonian, seemed to read her thoughts.

"The bandits have some incredible magic at their finger tips. They tricked many of the people who live here, and they use the sun and moon and sky to spread a feeling of normalcy." Chris nodded. Borus motioned toward the stables where the strange man had made them stow their horses. The deserters and Herman found their own horses to steal while the Zexens recovered their horses, who had been nicely cared for. Chris's mare huffed a sweet-smelling greeting through her nose when she recognized Chris. Tacked and mounted, the party moved out of the stables and began down the path that would lead them from the rise. Halfway down, a voice called out, one that was somewhat familiar.

"You there! Hey!" They turned in their saddles to the voice, and it was the man with the blue armband that they had seen earlier. The one that had helped them _in_to the fortress. Now he was mounted, and he moved up alongside Chris studying her for a second. "Hey… I remember you! You're the slowpoke. I guess you're new around here or didn't hear the order. Every group is to be guarded by a blue-rank." Chris felt sweat creeping down her forehead.

"Well, sir…" He slapped her on the back heartily.

"Please, call me Khith. Now seein' as you don't have an escort blue-rank, why don't I do that for you! Where're you headed?"

"We're going out on scout duty next," Borus offered. Khith twisted in his saddle to look at Borus.

"Scout duty? Shifts don't change for another hour." Chris's mind raced, but Herman moved his horse forward.

"They're increasing security after the earlier intrusion. Good thing they were captured."

"Oh, you didn't hear? They escaped! Eight of 'em. One of them is dead too. I suppose they took his body to give it a proper burial or somethin'."

Chris cursed under her breath. _Why does information travel so quickly?… but they do not know that I am alive._

The man laughed. "Yep, we found eight guards unconscious, includin' the one guarding the cells. They could be out there anywhere."

Borus nodded. "Good thing they are increasing security then. We had better hurry." So the group began to move down the remainder of the hill, then into the city. Chris grew to like Khith as he began telling tales of when he was a new recruit. It seemed the others enjoyed his company as well. Everyone in the city seemed to know him and would wave. He would shout back a greeting and no one paid any attention to the eight bandits that followed him. Chris found herself wondering how exactly they could tell him apart from other bandits. She wondered how he could even recognize her from before. But she did not dare ask, for fear that it would give them away.

They finally reached the exit of the city, and Khith explained to the guards what was going on. The guards seemed to know Khith too, and they were happy to let the 'extra scouting party' through. Chris sighed as they traversed the passage that would lead them above ground. She wanted to sleep so badly. They emerged at the top of the passage, and Khith explained to the guard there what was going on. But as soon they were clear of the exit, Chris caught a dark figure standing a little ways into the distance in the corner of her eye. She squinted to see him better in the crisp night air, and her eyes widened in horror when she saw who it was. The figure's hand began to glow. She whipped around to the group.

"RUN!" The eight looked back at her in confusion. "Damn it, _run_! Quickly. Knights, return to camp, _now!_" The two Zexen knights obeyed immediately, and galloped off in the direction of the Zexen encampment. Khith felt her tone of authority to be so persuasive that his feet began to move his horse into action. The deserters followed the Zexen knights, and he did not know what compelled him, but he urged his horse after them. Only Borus remained behind Chris. "Borus, get _out of here!_ He is going to use a rune!" she whispered harshly. Her horse fidgeted underneath her. Borus did not move.

"I will not leave you milady!" Winds began to pick up, harsh and breathtaking. Now the figure stepped forward, the rune in his hand growing brighter than ever.

"So Chris," the figure said. "You really are alive?" The man chuckled evilly. "We'll have to do something about that, won't we." It was a statement, not a question.

"Borus!" Chris shrieked, the wind taking most of her voice with it. "Leave!" He shook his head and drew his sword. Suddenly, the ground began to melt beneath them. The man rose higher and higher… no, they were moving lower. The ground beneath then began to depress into the earth and its bottom filled with water. The man began to chant, and the depression became deeper and deeper. Rain poured from the sky and helped to fill the depression. The water surged high as the depression became lower. Five feet of water. Eight feet of water. Fifteen feet of water. Waves began to form, and the water surged to and fro, tearing Chris from her mare. Wind howled, lighting flashed, and thunder roared. Chris tried her best to stay afloat, but the waves made it increasingly difficult. She could not see Borus. The man's chanting grew louder and two bright lights appeared in the sky, different from the lightning. The lights grew and grew until she saw two dragons, colored of a brown-blue, surge from the heavens. Chris wanted to scream, but could not. One came down on her, biting through her torso's flesh with its sharp teeth. The other came down somewhere else in the growing pool of water.

Down, down the dragon dragged her until she hit the bottom. Pain erupted in her chest as her lungs bulged and the dragon's teeth sank deeper, holding her at the bottom. She need air, she needed to breath. She forced down her panic and concentrated on chanting in her head. He own hand began to glow. She let the rune read her emotions, her will to save Borus, to save Zexen, and her hope to live. The blue suddenly sprang to life, and Chris's own dragons fell from the sky. They rammed into the man's attack and Chris felt her body torn free. With everything she could muster, she took the chance to swim to the surface.

She plunged into the air atop a frothy sea of red water. A memory came unbidden of the same thing. Déjà vu. She spat the copper tasting water from her mouth as thunder roared overhead, realizing it was her own blood she swam in. Through the torrent, she could barely see an edge of the strange pool, though try as she did, she could not reach it. The man stood at the edge of the pool farther up than she could reach. The waves did not let her be and she could not get a clear vision of him. But she could hear a few of his words over the gale.

"For a time –– thought I would let –– live after –– rune. To live –– shame. –– suffer payback. But –– me –– choice, Lighfellow." He spat her name in disgust, and she was only half listening to him as she was continually thrown beneath the water, struggling to breath. "I'll take –– rune now, –– hope –– death worse –– all Hells!" Chris coughed up vile water as she tried to compute his words into meaning within her jumbled head. Her body throbbed and her toes and fingers were numb from the freezing cold water. A wave spun her around to face the man, and another pushed her head under. When she again rose to the surface, a red aura surrounded her hand, and the feeling of being torn apart met her hand. Her body went through a spasm, and all too fast the rune was gone. Her hand felt empty. A sudden breath of wind threw back the man's hood, and Chris could not believe her eyes.

"C-Councilman Geo Girth!" she sputtered, once again being pulled under. Suddenly everything came rolling into place. _He_ had sent the message to Budehuc to lure them to Vinay del Zexay. _He_ wanted to keep an eye on what happened to determine what to do next, and he could not leave Vinay del Zexay because he was a Councilman. _He_ knew what was going to happen on the plains because _he_ suggested it! _He _knew where they were making camp because they had to send that information to _him!_ _He_ was cut off from information about Hugo and Geddoe's whereabouts when the Council took a vacation, and that was why he tortured Chris for information. _He_ thought he could still use Chris as a pawn from his position in the Council and tried to keep from killing her, but she got too troublesome… Chris's mind reeled.

The Councilman she had considered _sane!_ Whose decisions were _sound!_ He had stolen Harmonians from the trade route and told them that Harmonia had betrayed them. They had willingly joined him in his plight because he _lied_ to them. Thousands of them. Sent to their death for a cause that did not exist! Hatred grew within Chris, but she no longer had the strength to stay afloat. She heard Geo laugh as a wave swept her under, and she felt herself sinking. There was no rune to save her this time. She had failed to keep the rune safe. She had _failed_. From fear, from pain. Geo had _succeeded_. Now all the runes would fall in only a matter of time. She only hoped Geddoe and Hugo had hidden themselves well enough.

_I'm sorry, Hugo, Geddoe, Borus… Zexen… this knight has failed her duty…_

………


	14. Light at the End of the Tunnel

Wow guys, I'm so sorry this is taking forever. I hope this chapter answers a few questions and keeps you guys interested!

Responses:

Zafara: Well, thanks a lot! I'm really glad you like this story. I myself am a bit disappointed with it, but we'll see where it goes. Thanks for the review!

StickyRice: Sticky! Yay! Long-time-no-see-you-review! How yah been? I'm glad you like my writing. I'm sorry this took forever, but man, freshman year is a killer. Thanks for the review!

celeste9: Hmm, doesn't, don't, big dif. Hah, just kidding. I'll fix it when I do my annual every five chapter once over. That would mean after I complete chapter 15, (which I WILL do!) I'll check things over. Thanks for the review!

Annnnnnnnnnnnddddd here we go!

Chapter 14: Light at the End of the Tunnel

_Huffffff…_

There was no white. There was only black. Endless darkness. An empty abyss.

_Is this… is this death?_ She could hear herself think, but she could not speak. She could not feel any body part. _Is my mind doomed to float through this forever?_ Something made a muffled noise. Like a huff. She tried to turn in its general direction, but could not. _Am I really dead?_ She refused to believe it. She decided she would not give in.

She felt a sudden need to breath, and began to panic. She moved invisible arms that she feared were not even there to a surface she could not feel. With every ounce of strength she could gather in muscles that did not respond, she pushed.

And with a suction-like pop, her head came loose from the mud it had been stuck in.

The mud was frozen onto her face, and after taking in a few deep bewildered breaths, she felt the urge to clean herself and willed water into her cupped hands. Nothing happened. Again, she called silently to her True Water Rune for water. And again, nothing happened. She looked to her hand, which had been stripped of the gauntlet she had worn earlier. There was no mark.

Her memory was foggy, but when she saw that there was no mark of the rune that had normally adorned her hand, she began to recall. All too suddenly, she remembered the pain of being torn in two, the water rising high above her head, the wind… She hurriedly scrubbed her face to put some warmth back into it and clear it of mud. Gradually, she felt the feeling coming back to the numb body parts, and glanced around dizzily. She sat in a ditch that had most definitely been the raging sea not long ago.

_Huffffffff…_ She turned toward the now familiar noise, and her eyes softened at the sight of her horse. She beckoned the mare closer, and the horse gladly moved through the mud. "Steadfast steed," Chris murmured, wiping dirt from the grey horse's face and patting her lovingly on the muzzle. Chris suddenly asked, though she knew she would get no real answer, "You woke me up, did you?" The mare whickered at her voice. "If you had not woken me up…" She wrapped her arms around the creature's neck and hugged tightly. She started as she slowly recalled what had happened.

"Oh no… what of… Borus! Borus, are you here?" She glanced around the ditch and raked her vision to be better in the dark morning hour. "_Borus!_" He was not in the ditch. She clambered up the slick edge and into the surrounding muddy snow, and still saw no sign of him. _If he is not here, than he is alive… somewhere_… She rubbed what was left of her hair out of her eyes and breathed warm air into her numb hands. It was far below freezing out, and she knew that she needed warmth fast. If she had not already contracted hypothermia or frost bite, she would at any moment. Her horse had followed her up the edge of the ditch and stood behind her.

She saw that the reins and saddle were still intact, and was about to mount. She had no strength left anywhere, and would be grateful for a ride. But she stopped short of lifting a foot to the stirrup when she noticed her horse was favoring her fore-left leg. She cursed under her breath. She could not, she would not ride her. She looked around in the snow that surrounded the area, and saw what looked like the footprints of six or so horses heading in the direction she assumed was the Zexen camp. Willing her feet into action and hoping they would not fall off, she made her way in the direction of the camp.

An endless eternity passed as she walk-limped through the two feet of snow that covered every bit of ground. She felt more like a zombie than a living creature, and even though she herself had no energy to give the legs, her will to live, to see that Borus was alive, to end the evil of the bandit leader, of _Geo_, moved her legs all on its own. In a time that passed both as fast as a minute and as long as a year, she found the Zexen camp entrance a mere twenty yards in front of her.

Control returned to her body all of a sudden; autopilot had turned off, and she found herself staggering slightly. The guard at the entrance to the camp jumped up at seeing her.

"Halt! State your name and business, stranger!" he called out. Chris had no energy to spare her mouth, and kept walking forward, her horse limping slowly behind her. She had followed her rider as obediently as a dog would its human companion, but the love the mare carried for her rider was beyond even that relationship. "Ho, I said halt!" When Chris still did not slow, she heard the _shing_ as a sword was drawn. "Enemy sighted," the knight cried to the others on watch, before moving in with practiced ease to attack Chris. His sword sliced down as he suddenly appeared directly in front of her. She angled out of the way. The blade met snow, but was quickly pulled back. Again the knight swiped, and again Chris angled out of the way. It was an easy way to avoid blows, but very risky depending on the skill of the opponent. She did not need to order her body; instinct took over.

She heard her mare neigh nervously behind her. Again and again the blade came, and again and again she dodged. The knight grew frustrated, and retreated momentarily. "Light!" he yelled. "I need some light!" Just as he spoke, other solders on duty came from many directions, and a light soon lit brightly in front of her as one of the solders lit a torch. "Goddess!" Blades were sheathed, messengers sent, and a few soldiers moved to Chris's side to aid her. One led her horse away; another brought a flask of water to her lips. The soldier who had attacked began sputtering apologies. One look from Chris silenced him, and even before she was helped past the first tent in the camp, Salome rounded the corner.

"My Lady! Are you hurt? What has happened?" Chris did not look up to meet her strategist's eyes.

And in a voice that was hardly a whisper, she spoke, "My…" Her voice cracked. Salome moved his head closer. "My… my dear Salome… we are in… much more trouble… than you could… _ever_…imagine."

……

"From what I can see, you've a fractured ankle, a pulled muscle in your leg, partially healed bite marks in your stomach and neck… hmmm…" The mender scratched his five o'clock shadow, looking over a paper in his hand. "You have a bit of frostbite on your hands, milady, but no hypothermia. I've taken care of the bite marks and your ankle, but I'm afraid there's not much else I can do for you." A few candles lit the menders tent they were in, and light flickered strange shadows onto the wall.

Chris nodded exhaustedly, placing a strand of dirty hair behind her ear. The coff-bean brew she held in her hands had done a good job of replenishing her energy, and a little magic had restored a bit more, but she was still beyond tired. She thanked the mender, dismissed him, and turned to Salome. He sat in a chair with folded arms, a million questions in his arsenal that he refrained from asking. Chris sighed and placed her head in her hands, willing herself to wake up from the nightmare she had gotten herself into. Salome waited patiently.

Unexpectedly, Chris spoke. "After Percival left, we were captured. When I came to my senses, we were in a prison cell. I tricked the guard, got the keys," she said, waving a hand in front of her to show she was skipping a bit, "and freed the prisoners that were there––" She paused, as if remembering something. "Percival _did_ make it back. Correct?" Salome nodded and signaled for her to continue. She leaned back, the seat creaking as she shifted. "The prisoners were three deserters and a Harmonian spy. Others were dead." Salome changed his position. "We escaped from the dungeon, Borus, our two reconnaissance men, the Harmonian, the deserters and I, and fled to the stables. A man named Khith escorted us from the fortress to the entrance of the city-" Chris realized that she was assuming that Salome had heard everything from Percival. But nothing short of interest showed on his face, and she saw he knew what she spoke of. "When we left the city, _Geo_ attacked us." She spat the name. Now Salome looked puzzled.

"Yes, _Geo Girth_, the Councilman. He leads them, these so called bandits, on a false quest. He lied to them, fooling them into thinking that Harmonia had betrayed them. Hence the Harmonian spy." She gave him a second to absorb this. The mention of Geo had obviously been unexpected. "He used a rune… I cannot place what rune it was, but it was immensely powerful. The others escaped, but Borus refused to go even when I ordered it…" Her glassy look began to crumble. There was a crunch of snow from outside.

Percival strode through the tent entrance. He looked to be just roused from slumber, but mostly awake. "Milady!" He moved forward after only a glance at her hair and picked up one of her hands. "I am so glad to have you back! You are well?" He paused, releasing her hand and stepping back. "What of Borus? Is he in a separate tent?" Silence. "Well he obviously is. Is he asleep?" Chris did not look up, and Salome, taking the hint, lowered his gaze. Percival turned from Chris. "Where is he, Salome?" he growled.

"He is gone," said Chris. Percival whirled around. Anger and disbelief emanated his every move. Chris looked to Salome, who would fully understand her next statement. "When I woke from the attack, he was gone. His body was not there. He was just-" she shrugged, "–gone. I assume _they_ have him. But I feel he is most definitely alive." Salome's eyes traveled to her hand. Some of the anger left Percival, and he lowered his voice.

"If you so think he lives, then I do as well," he stated coolly. Chris looked mildly surprised at the trust he placed in a simple feeling of hers, but sighed gratefully.

"He lives. I can… I can _feel_ it."

……

"The prisoners are right here milady. The two reconnaissance knights could vouch for four of the men that returned with them." The guard motioned toward the tent to the left. Chris poked her head inside, and saw the three deserters, fast asleep. She nodded, but noticed that the deserters were the only ones in the tent.

"I see three," she said. "Where is the fourth?" The guard looked confused.

"Is he not in there?" The guard now took her place and looked in, letting out a quiet exclamation. "I'm sorry about this, milady. It seems the Harmonian has disappeared. Shall we send out a search?"

"No, no," Chris said tiredly. "He will be long gone by now, and no search party of ours could find him. Besides, he has done nothing wrong." The guard nodded, and moved on to another tent.

"This one, though our reconnaissance men did say he helped, they could not say he would be safe to let go free. He has not slept as we advised, and refuses food."

_Khith_… She had almost forgotten about the high-ranking bandit. Chris entered the tent without another thought, the guard following behind her.

Khith sat inside a steel enclosure that was far from uncomfortable, Chris thought. He looked up as she entered, and spat at her feet. The guard moved in front of her and was prepared to knock him on the head with his sword's sheath, but Chris curtly motioned for him to stop. The guard obeyed. But he could not help protesting when she asked to speak with Khith alone.

"Milady, I highly recommend that I remain here with you for your own safety." Chris shot the guard a steady gaze.

"Guardsman, how do you think I got to my position, by letting people protect me?" The guard was silent. "I can take care of myself. Please, give me a moment alone with this man." There was no hesitation in the guards answer.

"You are weak, milady," he said haughtily. "And you've nothing to protect yourself but me. Why even your rune is gone." The guard saw his mistake only as Chris moved up to him. The guard stood a full eight inches above her head, but now he cowered beneath her gaze.

"You do not know what I have seen, guardsman. You do not know what has befallen this world, and what will happen if nothing is done. You do not know how great our enemy is, and you do not know how far we have come to stop them. Should you value your pride for Zexen and its people, should you value your family at home, your friends and relatives, I suggest you leave, _now_." The guardsman visibly gulped before trotting out of the tent. Chris let out a breath. _How the hell did he know I no longer have my rune?_ Only then did she realize the strange shadows she had seen on the wall of the tent she had conversed with Salome in were rather… people shaped.

She pushed this aside for another time. Now she turned to Khith. He looked at her in defiance. Chris knew that any conversation would go nowhere fast if she attempted to interrogate him. Instead, she used the key on the far wall of the tent to open up the enclosure and enter. She left the door open and sat on a chair directly across from Khith. He looked slightly bemused, though mostly suspicious.

She did not speak for a very long time. Khith became uncomfortable, but he did not let is show. Finally, she spoke. "Khith, it is you I owe a thousand 'thank you's. You helped us into the fortress, and you helped us out of the city." She paused. Khith glared at her with beady blue eyes. He had been unmasked, and a stubble of beard covered his later thirties face.

"Just rub it in," he said venomously, out of the blue. "I helped my enemies… now His Lordship will never accept me again." Chris stayed silent. He obviously had more to say. "But looks like he showed you, eh? He's not just some pushover, like you." Chris knew he was attempting to make her angry. But she was not.

"He did show me his power. And now I am very scared." Khith's amusement was cut short.

"Who _are_ you?" he finally asked. Chris looked up from the ground.

"I am Christine Lightfellow, leader of the Zexen army and servant to the people of Zexen." Khith shook his head in disbelief.

"No wonder…" He stopped for a moment, as if trying to remember what they were speaking of before. "You are a poor leader, Lightfellow." Chris thought over his words.

"I am," she said. "I have led my army into a battle that cannot be won on our own. A battle that can almost not be won at all." She sighed. "Do you know the truth about your leader? About 'His Lordship?'" Khith just looked at her.

"Your leader happens to be Geo Girth, a head councilman of Zexen, of my country. He has tricked you and your fellow Harmonians. Harmonia has not betrayed you, but he has." She waited for it to sink in.

"No…" he said finally. "You are lying. You are playing tricks with my head." Chris shook her head.

"I do not lie, Khith. Why else would we be attacking you? We are not cruel people who wish to kill for the sake of killing, we are normal humans, most of us, who wish to keep our country and allies safe." Her eyes burned with purpose. Khith saw this, and for some reason _knew_ she was not lying. He chose to say nothing. Chris took the chance to continue. "I see now that I cannot lead my people the way I need to. I have failed them. I have failed the one most important to me…" She stopped there. She had planned to continue, but she could not. She began to crumble, and stood to leave the cell.

Khith reached out and grabbed her wrist. She stopped, but would not look at him. "The blonde one who was always behind you? The one who would not leave you when you commanded it?" Her silence confirmed his suspicions. She carefully removed her wrist from the man's hand and moved out of the cell, leaving the door open.

"My only hope is that somewhere, he still lives," she said, not showing the fact that she was trembling. "You are free to leave should you wish it. You may return to your city. You are also free to stay, to aid us in destroying your leader. And you may leave, and go back to Harmonia." He seemed to consider.

"And what will _you_ do? Run away as well?" he asked, though without sarcasm. It was sincere.

"I cannot run now. Something of mine has been taken. Now I must retrieve it." He slowly nodded at her answer. He seemed to make a decision. One that surprised Chris despite her intentions.

"Then your will is my command, Milady Chris of the Zexen Knights. You are bolder than you know, and it has taken you far. I will serve under you from now on." Chris inwardly sighed. She had won him over, though not in the way she had at first planned.

"Then my first order as your superior is that you get rest, Khith. There is a long road ahead." The older man nodded solemnly.

"A long road indeed, Milady, a long road indeed."

………


	15. Hell in a Nutshell

Responses, responses…

Zafara: I'm here, I'm here. Don't shoot me pleash 0o.

mk2136: This soon enough? Enjoy.

celeste9: Will Borus be okay? Will Chris save the day? Will I ever finish this story? STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT! Thanks for your faithfulness… better late then never, eh?

Aeonian Dreams: Now, now, laziness is the path to… I dunno, something. Anyway, here's what I do next: I write, see? Psst, look down below, that's where the story starts. Again, thanks for your faithfulness, hope I've worked for it.

OMFG. I just thought of the best knock-knock joke. Ready?

Me: Knock knock!

You: Who's there?

Me: Sasarai.

You: Sasarai who? (stfu)

Me: Sasarai! I got the wrong address!

Hahahahaha! Get it? Sasarai? So sorry? HAHAHAHAHA!

You guys hate me, don't you. Well, at any rate, here's the newest update to Losing Control. Sorry for the HUGE delay, it's been hell at school n' such.

Anyway, no more delays. Here yah are. Seriously. Right here. Right. Here. Here. See? Here.

………

Chapter 15: Hell in a Nutshell

A tiny square of light lit the cramped space. Borus moaned. Where was he? Where should he be? What should he be doing? He coughed, and in what little light there was, he saw his breath puff and curl before him.

_Why can I not remember?_ The question floated through his consciousness. He did not know where he was or why he was even there. He tried to move, but in the dim light he saw the glint of iron. He was chained to the wall.

Something began to well up inside him. A longing, an urge for something… no, someone. _Chris_. The name whispered itself inside his head like the soft touch of silk. He remembered silver, he remembered violet. But try as he might, it was all he could remember.

_Who am I?_

……

The mirror seemed to mock her. She raised a hand to her short, grubby hair. _I need a bath_. She scowled at herself. How, she asked herself, could you possibly think about a bath when Borus is in danger? She brushed her hand down her face, and for a moment willed everything to go away. She remembered the bed of death she had slept on, the feather bed that would have been her end had she fallen asleep. She remembered its comfort… and shivered. It had felt wonderful, but, she wondered, what could be so wonderful about death?

A watchman called out the time loud and clear; "Half past three n' all's well!" She needed sleep. As much as she wanted to remain awake and plan for the saving of, not only Borus, but the whole world as they knew it, she knew that she would require sleep, real sleep, to be able to do anything about it.

Limply, she removed the leather bandit armor and dirt-caked clothing and let herself collapse onto the over-stuffed bed in only a thin layer of under-clothing. She was barely able to pull the wool cover over her already shivering body before she fell into a deep sleep.

……

Warmth greeted her as she found herself awake. Bright sunlight streamed in through the tent's front flap, and for the first time in a long time, she felt refreshed… at least physically. She forced herself to get out from underneath heavy winter covers and noticed someone had placed a fresh set of clothing at the small table by her bed. She groaned inwardly at the thought that she would have to don the heavy armor that she had left behind for bandit-wear.

As she pulled on the brown outer suit of her attire, she silently made a list of things to do.

"So many things to do, so little time." She heard armor jingling outside as soldiers ran back and forth. She moved quickly to get her armor on, and with a gasp of surprise, noticed it had been polished for her. _Louis…_ She fastened each strap of her armor in place, last pulling on and tightening the leather boots. She quickly glanced at a small mirror above a wash bin and noticed how dirty her face was.

Just as she had finished scrubbing the grub off, there was a call of alarm from outside her tent. She pulled her gloves back on and dashed out the tent door. Salome noticed her first and moved to where she stood.

"Milady, scouts have spotted Geo's troops, battalions of them, headed across the Grassland. Though they are not moving toward our current position, they _are_ moving toward Zexen." In the rush of all the soldiers around her, she spotted Louis and caught his eye.

"Milady! So glad to––" She held up a hand.

"Hardly the time, Louis. Quickly, bring me my sword and horse… on second thought, bring me any horse that is ready for combat. Pack on it five rations, a blanket and as many water skins as you can fit." Salome raised an eyebrow.

"Take my horse, milady," he said gently, "He is better trained then any of the extras stabled." Chris nodded and Louis ran off to do as she had commanded.

"Salome, am I correct that Hugo and Geddoe have been warned?" she asked hastily, heading in the direction of the armory. "Percival told me so last night." Salome followed close behind.

"Yes, milady, we got word earlier this morning that the scouts sent by Percival achieved their goal. Hugo and Geddoe are safely hidden at opposite sides of this land. It may be best that you do not learn the exact locations."

"Are either in Tinto?" she asked. Salome looked surprised.

"No, milady, they are not."

"Then that is where they are," she stated firmly. Salome looked at her, confused, but knew he could not begin to fathom what was going through her head in wake of a plan. "Tell me the truth. They're in Tinto, right Salome?" Salome only shook his head slightly before catching on.

"Yes, milady, they are in Tinto." She nodded. Just then, Louis appeared around a tent with Salome's horse, tacked and ready to go. Chris wasted no time, and was on the horse within seconds. She turned the calm mare toward Salome. "Point me in the direction of Geo's army." With a word of luck, Salome pointed to the east. Chris looked up and marked the position of the sun.

"Salome, I will be back as soon as possible. Send warning to Budehuc by any means necessary. You are in charge. Louis, my sword." The squire threw her the sword. Without another word, she reined the mare to the east and galloped out of camp.

Salome watched her retreating figure for only a moment before setting off to work. Louis stayed and watched his captain gallop toward dark clouds, and silently wondered if he would ever see her again.

……

She pushed the horse only as hard as she dared, speeding to catch up with the fast-moving enemy. At last, the huge mass came into sight, thousands of soldiers on both foot and steed, thousands of those betrayed. Chris mentally shook her head; how could so many Harmonians have been fooled? Did this number of Harmonians travel to Tinto, or did Geo accumulate this army in some other way?

She rode Salome's mare parallel to bandit army a mile off, and upon reaching the front of the army, she moved to the left to flank them. She halted her horse a few hundred feet from the head of the army. Calls flew out, and the entire army came to a halt. One rider moved forward, and it became clear as the rider moved closer that it was Geo.

"You… you are dead one hundred times over, Lightfellow! What brings you to me, defenseless as you are?" he called from across the plain.

"Give me the location of my soldier," she commanded loudly. Geo laughed.

"Give me the location of Hugo and Geddoe, woman, and then you'll get what you ask for," he shot back, though not expecting her next words. Chris thought carefully.

"They are in Tinto," she said firmly. There was surprise in his pause. Then he did something curious. He raised his right hand.

"Say it again." He did not stutter.

"They are in Tinto," she said slowly, all the while thinking, 'Salome told me they are in Tinto,' over and over again. She felt a curious feeling pass through her mind. He lowered his hand.

"So you speak the truth, Lightfellow." He paused again, then laughed. "To think the great hero of Zexen would hand me the world for a stupid boy! And all these years, sending you little orders as a councilor, I thought you were a perfect little angel." He laughed again. Chris remained silent, her suspicion confirmed. Geo held the True Rune of Truth, a rune she had heard few stories about. Hugo and Geddoe were not really in Tinto, but Salome _did_ tell her so. Geo read her mind, and was easily convinced of her lie. Geo's laughing subsided.

"I have given you what you wanted, now tell me what I want to know." Chris stared levelly at the insane man. He spat to the side.

"He's in a hidden cave guarded by a few of my men 'bout a few miles west of the city's entrance." He smirked. "Get past my men and you can have 'im." Chris glared at the man in disgust before reining the horse around the army and storming back alongside the army, heading toward its back. A few bandit heads nodded to her as she swept by, and it took her only a moment to know that these were part of an inner rebellion. They would aid her when their time came. She took a moment to estimate the number of soldier's in Geo's army; the number came out to be twenty-five thousand, a number that greatly dwarfed her own army and the Grassland's combined. At last she passed the army's rear and was in open Grassland again. She urged Salome's mare into a breakneck canter toward the enemy's underground city.

_Borus, I'm coming._

……

A soldier in black with a brown armband tied around his arm thundered past the stopped army on his black gelding. He slowed only upon reaching the front of the army, walking his horse up to Geo. Geo smirked at his servant.

"The wench of Zexen has just relayed to me the location of Hugo and Geddoe. They hide in Tinto." The man in black, he who had surveyed the intrusion of the Zexen camp many nights ago, shook his head. He was known as Krick.

"My own sources have revealed their location. They are on opposite sides of this land… Hugo in Vinay del Zexay, Geddoe across the mountains to the east. Neither are in Tinto, m'lord." Geo's jaw dropped.

"How in all Hells did that woman…" Then he remembered her thoughts. 'Salome told me they are in Tinto.' "That rotten bitch!" he cursed under his breath, anger taking a hold of him.

"M'lord?" Krick questioned, backing his horse away slightly. Geo ignored him. The leader turned his head to one of the nearby soldiers.

"Water mage," he commanded, "flood the bloody knight's chamber. I want him _dead_ before she gets to him." With a nod, the water mage began to chant, focusing his energy on an underground chamber a few miles west of the underground city…

……

Chris swept through the plains as fast as the horse would take her. There was something wrong, she knew, something that made her journey more urgent. She knew the poor beast beneath her could not go on like this for much longer, but she also knew Salome would forgive her if anything happened. She only willed the mare to go faster, as fast as the horse had ever gone. The intelligent animal sensed her rider's urgency and sped up.

The opening in the ground to the underground city appeared just ahead of her. Swiftly, she veered the mare to the west. The ground swept by underneath them. Chris drew her sword and prayed to the Goddess for the horse to fly. Wind whipped through her eyes and face, and a trail of snow and dirt followed the mare's fury. They flew forward like a bullet, and she saw the two bandits appear ahead of her. She skipped formalities and mercy. The first's head fell to the ground. She wheeled the mare around, and the horse stumbled but regained balance. Chris's sword was faster then the bandit could have ever suspected, and the second soon joined the first on the ground. She spotted the hole in the snow a little ways off. She was off the horse in only a few seconds. There was an iron grate in her way, and she lashed a rope around the one of the bars, tying the other end to the saddle on the mare.

With a loud cry, she sent the mare forward, tearing the grate from the ground. She slipped down into the hole, and landed in water.

……

Geo, satisfied that there was no way Chris would reach the soldier in time, beckoned two of his teleportation mages over. "I think it's time I skip a few things and get on to the main event. No more stalling, no more games. Lock on to Hugo and Geddoe's locations. One is in Vinay del Zexay. The other is across the mountains to the east. Find them, and bring me their runes."

"Yes, m'lord," the two mages responded, beginning their chant. Within seconds, the two men disappeared. Geo laughed.

……

The water was up to her ankles. "BORUS!" she called into the darkness. "Damnit, Borus, where are you?" She heard a muffled grunt from a section of the room with more light, and waded across the floor in its direction. He was in a cell composed of rock on three sides that rose to the ceiling. In front of what would be the entrance to the cell, there was a huge stone, taller then she was. Chris looked through a crack between a rock wall and the stone, and inside was Borus, wide awake, chained to the wall, and staring at her with a wide-eyed, childlike gaze. "Hang on, Borus, I will get you out!" Chris called over the roar of water that was filling the room. It was now up to her shins.

She needed to move the stone blocking the cell's entrance. But the stone weighed at least three times her weight, was taller then her, and did not look like it could be easily moved. She took a deep breath, and thought. She called to her father, asking him for help. No help from him came, but a memory emerged, unbidden…

She was a child, watching her father train by himself. He called her over. "See here, Chrissie, see that large barrel?" Little Chris nodded, looking up at the barrel that was taller than her father by a good foot. Her father ruffled her hair. "Sometimes, I have come across people this big that I need to take down. They weigh more, are taller, and usually have a lot of muscle to back themselves up. But there's a trick to taking them down. Do you understand?"

Chris nodded in her memory, and her father commanded her to step back. She did. "Now, there is a risk of damaging your body if you do not do this right. Also, if the enemy weighs too much, you _will_ damage your body. Because this is training, I know this barrel does not weigh enough to hurt me. So, watch carefully." Her father took a few steps back, then rushed at the barrel, throwing his weight into his shoulder and jumping at the top of the barrel. His shoulder connected with the barrel's top rim. As her father landed, the huge barrel toppled over. Her father gave her a huge grin and she returned it.

Chris shook her head, back in the present, and studied the stone carefully. The water lapped at her knees. She would hurt herself, but that would be okay, as long as her father's technique worked. She took a few steps back, then launched herself at the large stone. A foot from it, she jumped, letting her left shoulder smash into the very top of the boulder. Her shoulder snapped and fell limp, but to her great relief, the huge stone toppled over with a huge crash. She landed and stumbled, but steadied herself. Taking a deep breath, she snapped her dislocated shoulder back into place before unsheathing her sword and moving into Borus's cramped cell. The water now swelled to her thighs. Quickly and efficiently, she used her sword to snap through the iron chains that held Borus to the wall of the chamber. She took no time to grab his arm and pull him underneath the entrance.

Without a word, she intertwined her fingers with each other and held out her two hands for Borus. He understood immediately, and placed his foot in her cupped hands, reaching up and grabbing the ledge at the entrance. He disappeared momentarily. The water surged above her waist, then her stomach, then her shoulders. She refused to let panic hold her. Finally, a rope dropped down from the entrance, and she wrapped her hands through it before giving it a tug. Rather quickly, she was hoisted out of the chamber.

She scrambled onto the entrance's ledge, on hands and knees, and released the rope that Borus had had the mare pull. Gasping, wet, and freezing cold, she rose to her feet and embraced Borus, holding him close to her. "B-Borus, I am so glad you are okay…" she panted. He patted her on the back uncertainly.

"Madame, I am afraid I do not know who you are…" She looked up at him, into his eyes for a moment.

"You… You do not know who I am?" she asked. Borus shook his head. She stepped back. _He has lost his memory… _For some reason, some hope buried deep inside her crumbled. But then a thought came to her. A crazy thought. A thought that should have never occurred. A thought that she knew was her only hope. "Perhaps… perhaps I can remind you…"

She took a deep breath, leaned forward, and gave him a long kiss. She let her mouth linger on his for a few moments before attempting to move away and see if her tactic worked. But to her surprise, his hand grabbed her arm, pulling her back in, and he kissed her back. "Milady…" he whispered to her lips. "I remember…" He let her go. She looked into his eyes; the child's curiosity was gone, replaced with the serious, but happy face of the Borus she knew and loved. When he said nothing more, Chris, completely embarrassed as to what she just did, gestured him to follow her to Salome's mare. The horse eyed the two curiously as they mounted. Together, the three of them cantered back to camp.

……

Geo, breaking the laws of nature, absorbed the True Fire and Lightening Runes into his body, joining the True Water Rune and the True Truth Rune that were already within him. Around him, ten powerful mages chanted to ensure his safety and aided him with the absorption. Fire erupted from the sky as Nature realized what was going on. Lightening joined the ground in a moment's dance, attempting to thwart the all-powerful god that was being born. Stone burst from torn earth, flinging itself at the monster being created, and columns of water sprouted from black clouds. All rushed at the creature, but were deflected by the ten chanting mages. The bandit troops were in a panic, unsure of what to do as the elements swamped them. But suddenly, hundreds of them at a time were thrown into the sky and sucked into a great tear in space that appeared within Geo's gut. All of twenty-five thousand troops were sucked into the great abyss, including the ten mages that sought to protect the master they trusted so much.

One by one, each of them were sacrificed to their great leader, and in an explosion of light and rock, what was once a mortal man became a three hundred-story hulking beast. Wings each the size of Vinay del Zexay sprouted form the beast's fury back, and a tail as long as the Zexen Forest sprung forth, creating tornados of wind with each of its sporadic lashes. Clawed hands emerged from the light, attached to arms strong enough to throw mountains. A head of a dragon came to being at the beast's top, with long shafts of bone materializing and growing from the skull-like skin. What was once Geo roared.

"I AM _UNSTOPPABLE_!" it said in a voice loud enough to kill anything near. With the end of the world drawing near, all hope was placed on one woman's shoulders. Salome, hearing the roar and seeing the beast, silently prayed for his Captain's return.

………

DUN DUN _DUNNNNNN_.

Alrighty, folks, two more chappies to go. You guys looking forward to 'em? Hope so. There's a rather large quicky of a drawing I made of Geo's all-mighty monster form thingy that you can find the link to in my profile. Also, I've uploaded a few other pictures, labeled accordingly.

All feedback appreciated, and my sincerest apologies to those of you who may have lost hope in this piece. Till next time.


	16. Wrath of a Deathless God

Okay, holy crap, this is a huge chapter. You guys better enjoy. BETTER. Just kidding. Enjoy its extra good longyness.

As for the story line, everything pretty much comes together in this chapter. I'm trying to make this as in character as possible. I got a little funny in the second section, just to lighten the mood a little.

Please report grammatical errors to me, it was a looong chapter, and it's hard to spot grammar mistakes when you just wrote the whole thing. You know, your brain sort of fills in the correct grammar instead of telling you "HEY, STUPID-HEAD! YOU MADE A MISTAKE RIGHT THERE." See, like I should have put a comma after the 'you' in that sentence, but just to piss my brain off, I'm leaving it the way it is! HAHAHAHAHA.

Ahhh, reviews:

kissdbyachainsaw: Glad you like it. Hope you enjoy this chappie, 'cause I burned a lot of finger calories typing it.

Aeonian Dreams: OMFG! Flying Spaghetti Monster! I want one! Do those come with a leash? Thanks for the review, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

Duyt: Hmm… spiffy… yeah, spiffy. I can see it now, in bright lights: "Losing Control," the spiffy story by Well-Well. Well, here's your update. It'll be a long read, so get yourself a mug o' hot chocolate and plop yourself down in front of your computer. Enjoy.

celeste9: Ahhh, procrastination. That is so my favorite activity! As Leo says later in this chapter, yes, there will be some bandit-butt-kicking. As for romance, that's Chapter 17's job ;). And thanks for pointing out the angle-angel thing, I always mess those two up. Feel free to point out anymore mistakes in this chapter, I need the help.

Annnnnd now on with the chapter. Hope I haven't made a mistake.

………

Chapter 16: Wrath of a Deathless God

Geo, or what was Geo, surveyed the world from his new perspective. He realized his huge size would make movement taxing. He was no longer Geo, but a god revived from the deepest of the five hells in the body Geo created. He watched amusedly as mortal creatures fled his presence.

A cold wind blew the smell of panic toward him, a large amount of it, and he took a step to rotate his body in the panic's direction. This panic, he decided, would be his first target. As he turned, his huge, glowing red eyes focused on a spot of orange on the horizon.

……

Borus was the first to notice the creature.

"What in Goddess's name is that?" he sputtered. Chris, reflecting his disbelief as to the enormous proportions of the being, could only shake her head. Suddenly, the beast began to move. Its movement was sluggish and seemed to be in slow motion. But it only took Chris a few seconds to realize what would happen. Acting quickly, she pulled Salome's mare to a halt.

"Borus, off, _now_." The two dismounted. Chris, using gentle persuasion, was able to get Salome's mare to kneel. Then she laid herself flat in the snow on her stomach. Borus watched her with only half a mind, the other half still taking in the huge monster. Her glare told him he was to do the same as what she was doing, and he first kneeled, then laid on the ground beside Chris.

"Chris, why…?" She shook her head, wide-eyed.

"Brace yourself, Borus!" He did as she was told, still watching the monster. The monster had, in this time, moved a foot through the air to a new position. As he lowered his foot, it occurred to Borus what was about to happen.

"Holy sh––" Before he could even finish his sentence, the monster's foot hit the ground. A huge shockwave erupted from where it had placed its foot. They heard the sound approaching. Then it hit. Blasts of wind stronger than any they had witnessed before battered them, throwing them backwards, the mare included. In a few seconds it was over. Chris rose to her feet, swayed, and fell back down. The mare was on her feet in a few seconds, and Borus, using the mare to steady himself, stood, helping Chris up.

Chris shook her head, bewildered. Borus watched her with a fearful gaze. "Pardon my lack of composure, milady, but we are… _screwed_. We have to fight that monstrous thing?" Swallowing, Chris nodded.

"We must return to camp as soon as possible. It _must_ be stopped before it realizes its potential." She checked the mare for injuries before mounting and motioning Borus to follow.

"Wha…" Borus stammered, absently following her onto the horse. "How the _hell_ are we supposed to stop it?" Chris shook her head.

"Calm yourself, Borus, there is a way." Despite her present situation, Chris found herself in a humorous mood.

"A way?" he asked, still disorientated.

She nodded. "Yes…" then under her breath, "… just have to think of it first."

It took a moment for Borus to register what she said. "_Pardon_?"

Chris heeled the mare in the direction of camp. She knew it was only a matter of time before everything would fall apart.

……

The god felt the result of movement. It was incredibly strenuous on the creature's body. No, movement would not be the way that the beast would conquer. It would take far too long. On whim, the beast simply wished into being an army. He selected the form of the bandits he had absorbed as it would take the least amount of energy, recreating them again. But this time, they were no longer citizens of Harmonia, but mindless servants of the god. Nearly twenty-five thousand of them materialized around his hulking form.

_Your first target is the camp of Zexen soldiers on the horizon. March toward them, and destroy everyone and everything in sight. That is my command_, he willed. The massive army set out across the plains in the direction of the Zexen camp.

……

Percival was the first to spot Chris and Borus in the distance. He cantered over on his stallion to meet them. "Milady, Borus, you are well!" Chris gave him a breathless nod. Only then did she look to see the camp. The entire place was devastated. Tents were collapsed, supplies spread across the ground with horses and other livestock running loose. Some soldiers worked to catch the animals while others gathered up supplies. She realized this was only the effect of the movement of the creature's _foot_… _I cannot imagine what would happen if the creature had even _stomped she thought.

"Percival, take me to Salome." The knight nodded, and led Chris and Borus through the wrecked camp. They found Salome at its center, ordering the collection of all goods. Chris dismounted, barely noticing Louis taking Salome's horse away.

"Milady, thank the Goddess! That creature's movement has destroyed camp. I am having the men collect the supplies and place them in a ditch beyond that hill. I see no sense in rebuilding if… it… moves again."

"Brilliant, Salome, but that is not what we should worry about. Supplies are useless when we are all dead."

"Salome," Borus interjected, "what word have we from Budehuc?" Salome opened his mouth to reply, but just then Roland approached.

"Look," was all he said. He pointed to the west. The four other knights looked to where he pointed. To all of their surprise, Leo led what looked to be all of the Zexen knights on duty toward their position. Those originally posted at the now ruined Zexen camp cheered. Battalions upon battalions of Zexen troops had arrived to the scene, ready to fight the army that approached. Only once before was there a need for the entire of Zexen's army, but here they were again.

Chris shook her head in awe and sent Leo a smile. But the smile soon faded. "Even with all available reinforcements… at this time, Zexen troops only reach eight or nine thousand… That pales in comparison to this… being's army."

Percival smiled. "Ah, but milady, there is still more to come." The Knight of Gale motioned beyond the Zexen troops. Chris had to stand on her tiptoes to see, but she saw the unmistakable Karayan flag flying high. And when she squinted, she could make out the dignified sign of the Lizard Clan. Leo joined them, and following close behind were Lucia of the Karaya Clan and Dupa of the Lizard clan. Lucia smirked.

"Well," she said, gazing upon the gathered assembly. "Looks as though the gang's all here."

"Not quite." The assembly looked up, and all were surprised to see Hugo and Geddoe approach, Geddoe followed by his unit and a large number of Harmonian Southern Frontier Defense Force soldiers.

"Hugo, Geddoe," Chris greeted. Her eyes wandered to their hands, where their runes should have been. They both noticed her gaze and nodded.

Hugo spoke up, taking a place beside his mother. "We were both attacked by these bandit men, Chris, but they only took our runes. We weren't injured or anything." Geddoe nodded.

"I was lucky enough to have Viki with me… had her take me to Hugo first, then here." Chris nodded.

"Glad to see you two are alright." She paused, realizing the Flame Champion was amidst them. "Hugo, would you like to take control of the operation?" As much as she did not think it logical hand over control to Hugo, who had less experience in the matter, she knew it was only proper of her to do so. He _was_, after all, the Flame Champion.

But to her surprise, Hugo shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't know much of what's going on. None of us do, really." The gathered group murmured their agreements to his statement. Chris nodded in understanding.

"I will give a quick summary, but we haven't time for details. You are all familiar with the Councilors of Zexen?" She pointed to the god, who had barely moved in all this time. "_That_," she said, "is, or was, Councilor Geo Girth. In short time, he had assembled a large number of abducted Harmonian travelers. From them, he trained the men to make an army, and set those unable to be in the army to work creating a city, an underground city which still lies somewhere near here." She paused, waiting for the group to absorb the information. "His goal, as we were told, was to steal the True Runes and use their power to harness energy from the well of energy within this world. But I do not think we were told the truth. Or perhaps we were, and this was not supposed to happen." Again she paused, marking the disbelief on most of the assembly's faces.

"Within him he has four True Runes; that is, the True Fire, Water, Lightening and Truth Runes. I have a feeling he will soon try and absorb the remaining twenty-three True Runes. If he does, he will have full access to the well of energy that each True Rune draws its power from." Borus stepped forward.

"But milady, when the group of bandits took Louis captive, do you not remember the bandit saying that, with all the imbalances within this 'Grand Rune,' as he called it, the rune would simply burst?" Chris opened her mouth to respond, but Salome caught her eye, and she let him take over.

"It is true that, should all the runes be captured into one great one, the imbalances would cause the rune to burst apart. But, and this is only an assumption, in the story the bandit described, the 'Grand Rune' was without a container. No one held the rune within their body. Thus, the rune could not contain itself. But look yonder. That creature could surly carry twenty-seven tiny runes within his huge body. My theory is, with a container holding the runes, so long as the container is strong, the runes will not be going anywhere soon." Chris nodded.

"His army approaches us now," she said, "The only way we can beat him is by fighting him directly. But his army stands in our way. Therefore, if I may, I propose we send our armies to occupy his own, while others attack the creature directly. We should—"

"Milady! Look!" came Percival's voice. All eyes turned to the monster. It had spread its arms wide, and seemed to be frozen in that position. Then the sound of its roar reached them. Energy began to spark around it, and the sky dimmed. Torrents of wind began to batter those standing. Chris squinted to keep dirt and snow from her eyes, and watched in horror as 23 separate lights shot from all directions, in arcing beams, to collide at the monster's claws.

"It is as I feared!" Chris called to Salome above the wail of the wind. Her voice was torn from her mouth by the harsh breeze.

"We must act now!" Salome called back, his voice barely reaching her ears. The wind died down, and Chris was finally able to look around. The wind had done nothing but blow debris around, but as Chris looked upon the monster, she saw huge, rotating clouds above his head. Salome rubbed his face with a hand and repeated what he had said. "Milady, we must act now, before the creature has time to do anything more." Chris nodded, and motioned the assembly closer, who were all recovering from the sight they had seen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we run out of time. Please gather your soldiers. Organize them for attack. If possible, please have this accomplished by a lesser officer. Attacking the bandit's army is child's play compared to what must be done to defeat the monster." The group of leaders spread apart. Chris sighed. She had not realized how tired she was. Salome approached.

"What will you have me do, milady?" She paused a moment to think.

"Muster all troops capable of fighting. Divide them into twenty battalions and appoint officers for each. Also, see what you can do about medical assistance." Salome nodded and set off to do as he was commanded. Hugo still stood nearby, and Chris moved up to him. "Hugo, we may need Fubar. Is he nearby?" Hugo nodded. "Good." She paused to think. _What now?_

"Chris," Hugo started, getting her attention. She turned to him. "I may know how to stop that thing." She gave him a look of surprise.

"Oh? Please, go on." He looked deep in thought for a moment, scratching his head.

"You talked a lot about balance between the runes—how it doesn't work to have all the True Runes as one. Yet, given a strong container like this beast thing, they can all be held. Does that mean that a balance has been created, or that even though there's an imbalance, the beast is too strong for the runes to break apart?" Chris thought about the question carefully before answering.

"I would think that… well, the runes cannot be altered… so, there is, I believe, no way a balance could be created, even by this creature."

"So you're saying that the beast is just containing the imbalance, keeping it under control?" He searched for more words. "He's creating a balance, but in reality, one does not exist." Chris nodded, slowly. "Then I know how we can stop it." For the first time in a long time, Chris saw hope.

"Spread the word that all leaders are to gather here in one hour. Explain your idea then." Hugo nodded. As he walked away, Chris looked back to the monster. She motioned an idle soldier over. "Bring me the status from the scouts at once."

"Aye, milady."

……

It started to rain.

Chris scanned the area to get the general idea of the army's status. She could see officers routing soldiers into one of twenty separate battalions. The Karayan army seemed to be ready to go, while the Lizard Clan looked as though it had been ready for quite a while. Dupa stood at their head, waiting. Normally, Chris knew, Dupa would take the time to comment on how inefficient Chris's army was. But under present circumstances, Dupa would hold his tongue. Salome motioned her over from where he stood.

"Milady," he said as she drew near, "The army has been prepared. We are ready to march on your command."

"Good work, Salome. Let's hope for the best." The soldier she had sent to check on the scouts' status returned.

"Milady Chris, the scouts have this to report: 'The bandit army is approximately fifteen miles from our current position, the monster about sixteen. They number between twenty and twenty-five thousand, and will be at our position, by average speed, in approximately three hours. Enemy soldiers are composed of sixty percent infantry, thirty percent cavalry, and the remaining ten percent mages.'" The soldier took a deep breath.

"Good job, soldier. Please return to your assigned battalion." With a quick salute, the soldier was gone. "Salome," Chris started, returning her gaze to the strategist, "what are our numbers?"

"Only about fifteen thousand, milady, including both Zexen, Frontier, and Grassland troops. We've archers, however, a great advantage over the enemy, and our mage group—"

"No matter, Salome," Chris said, cutting him off. "Archers or no, what's to stop the being from bringing his soldiers back to life other than laziness?" She shook her head. "No, we need more soldiers."

"Then perhaps I can be of assistance," came a familiar voice. Chris and Salome turned to see Borus escorting someone.

Borus pointed to the man. "Look who I found, milady."

"Herman!" Chris cried, greeting the tiny old man she barely knew, yet felt like she'd known for many a year. A memory came back to her… her father and Herman… having tea? She smiled down at the short old man. Salome eyed the Harmonian garb. "I hope you've good news, Herman." The old man nodded, stroking his beard. But then he looked to Borus.

"I believe young Borus here can tell you who I've brought for lunch and some tea."

"Aye, milady, Herman has with him nearly twenty thousand Harmonian troops." Borus's face was serious. Chris felt like jumping for joy. Salome let loose a smile.

"That brings our numbers to thirty-five thousand troops," he said. "Mayhap we _can_ beat this creature." Lucia joined the group, followed by Dupa.

"It has been an hour. We are ready for combat," Dupa said.

"As are we," Lucia added.

"My unit is ready when you are," Geddoe said, approaching from behind. Percival joined, followed by Leo and Roland.

"The Zexen army is as ready as they'll ever be," Leo said gruffly, cracking his knuckles. "I say we go kick some bandit ass." Lucia rolled her eyes at Leo's comment.

"And we Harmonians are ready to follow the orders of whoever is in charge here," Herman supplied. "I assume it is you, Lady Chris?" Chris did not need to nod, for those around her nodded for her.

"Mmm, how amusing," Percival mulled quietly. Borus looked at his dear friend.

"What, may I ask, is amusing at a time like this, Percy?" Percival had the decency to wince. But he smirked. He motioned to Chris, and then the monster that still loomed in the distance.

"This should be some battle. After all, it's god versus goddess." Borus smiled. Chris scowled at Percival.

"Must you always taunt me? I am no Goddess." Lucia rolled her eyes.

"Let's face it, Chris, oh Silver Maiden of Zexen," she said, sparing no sarcasm. "You will always be a goddess to men. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?" Chris was quite astonished by the compliment hidden within Lucia's sarcasm. Lucia let her gaze drop, and said in a voice only Chris would hear, "Do you know how many women would kill to look and be as you are?"

"Lucia…" Chris was at a loss for words. She said this, even with Chris's hair as it was, something Chris figured was an easy target. This woman who had only a short while ago hated Chris's guts was now telling her something that was a submission to their unofficial rivalry. Chris could say nothing. Herman cleared his throat.

"This can wait, can it not? We have a battle to fight, a war to win, a monster to slay. There's no time to waste until after it's dead." The group as a whole nodded. There was business to be done.

Chris shook herself from Lucia's comment. "Hugo told me earlier that he had thought of a way to destroy the beast. Hugo?" All eyes turned expectantly on the young Karayan boy. He squirmed slightly under the group's intense gaze.

"Well. We've established that there is an imbalance within the runes the creature holds. The creature is strong enough to create a temporary balance, or rather, contain the imbalances within the runes by adding his own influence to keep everything stable. Defeating it should be pretty simple then." He took a deep breath. "All we should have to do is create an imbalance so powerful that the other runes must react. Without its true runes, that thing wouldn't exist."

Leo put a hand to his chin. "So we know we need to cause an imbalance. But how?"

"I know how," Chris said. She thought for a moment. "The bandit who took Louis captive… he spoke of harnessing the power well within the earth and filling empty runes with them. If we can get an empty rune of any type into the beast, it will divert the power of the main rune, and cause a definite imbalance." The confused looks on everyone's face told her to give an example. "If we can find an empty water rune, for instance, and get the beast to absorb it, it will react within the beast like positive and negative charges. Call the True Water Rune the positive, and the empty water rune a negative. Because they are both within the same container, power between them will be shared. The negative rune will suck power from the positive rune to balance the two out. If we place the negative rune strategically, we can cause a huge imbalance within the balance the creature created—"

"—Resulting in the extraction of the rune!" Hugo finished for her. "And then, without the True Water Rune, the beast's inner balance will be lost. It won't have enough time to re-balance, so to speak, before opposites attack opposites, and the runes will go their separate ways." There was a pause in conversation.

"Wow," Herman offered. The old man chuckled. "Wait till my wife hears about this."

"But there is still one problem," Lucia started, ignoring Herman's comment. "How do we get the beast to absorb the empty rune?" Another pause.

Salome's eyes lit. "The creature is huge. If someone with a Blinking rune were to get close enough, they should be able to teleport a rune directly into the being. Does anyone here have a Blinking rune?"

Geddoe cleared his throat. "I would suggest Viki, but she disappeared…"

"My mages never have Blinking Runes equipped," Herman said. "But we always bring spares, should we need them. We can also have a handy rune sage who can make an empty water rune." He motioned a page over from his army, whispered in the man's ear, and sent him off. "My page will return shortly with both."

Dupa spoke, "But who will hold the rune? No common soldier will be given the task. It must be one of us."

"Also," Geddoe added in his quiet manner, "it can't be one of the True Rune bearers… theoretically, the runes should return to us once they leave the creature."

Chris sighed. "Nor can it be someone with a rune equipped now. We've no time to remove runes, let alone affix them." There was a long silence.

Borus studied his right hand. He was fairly certain both Percival and Leo, and even Roland had runes equipped. Dupa surely had one, as most lizard clan leaders did… Chris could not hold it, neither could Geddoe or Hugo. Herman had already demonstrated his rune's skills with his disappearing act from the Zexen camp a couple days earlier… which left Salome. But Salome was a valued strategist, and could not be risked. Borus steeled himself.

"I will hold the rune," he said in almost a whisper. Then louder, "I will transport the empty rune into that… thing." Time froze for Chris. A feeling passed over her, one she dreaded. The others of the group gave him words of confidence and poise, a pat on the back from Leo, a word of luck from Salome. But their smiles and confidence were just show, Chris knew. It was not likely Borus would return alive.

She wanted to reach out, to protest, to ask that someone else do it. But as she thought, she realized he _was_ the only one. She sighed. Dupa stepped forward.

"Allies, it must be known that some may die this day. Let honor carry us through battle. Let no enemy stand. Let victory be to those who fly with it." Lucia nodded.

"We are no longer fighting for our own separate kinsmen and family… We fight for all, for our continued existence, our world. May the spirits be with you all."

Chris braced herself. "May the Goddess grant us safe return from battle. Now, let us make haste. Salome, give the order. We move out now."

……

The massive wave of thirty-five thousand soldiers marched head on toward the enemy. There was no room for strategy when it came to army battles, as Lucia pointed out. This was the Grassland. No place to run to, no place to hide, no place to surprise the enemy. Chris rode at the head of the 20th Zexen battalion. Her battalion's goal was simple, yet the most crucial. She would get Borus and Hugo to where they needed to be. Once they were close enough to the monster, Hugo, on Fubar, would fly Borus up to the beast's left claw, where Borus would proceed with the plan. But her battalion did nothing until the path to the beast was clear. They were to allow the rest of the army, Grasslanders and Harmonians included, to march ahead.

Chris, atop her healed mare, felt restless as the rain fell. They were to wait half an hour before moving out. Hugo would return with their signal. Borus, on his own horse, rode up to her. Neither spoke. Chris studied the horizon; Borus studied his hand, wherein a rune sage had just affixed a Blinking Rune. Finally, he looked to Chris.

"I am sorry," he whispered. Chris said nothing. He continued. "I had no choice. Please understand." He stopped.

"Why are you telling me this?" Chris finally whispered back. She looked down at her own hand. "Risking your life for so many people you do not know, people you have never seen… people out of your class, even, commoners… this is not like you." Borus chuckled.

"You did not hear of Percival's lecture so many months ago?" His chuckle died, and he looked back down at his hand. "I have long ago let go my… chauvinism toward those of lower classes than I." There was a small pause.

"You have changed, Borus." The comment surprised him. He opened his mouth to question, but she continued. "You are no longer the man you were before the Second Fire Bringer War."

"Do you like me better this way?" he asked, cutting her off. She scoffed.

"What does that matter?"

"It matters most." She was surprised to silence. Finally, she sighed, and let her eyelids droop.

"Why do you taunt me so?"

"I taunt you not," he replied quickly. "I did not accept this responsibility for people I do not know, Chris. The task becomes much simpler when you focus on only a few people." He looked toward the horizon, where the monster still loomed, having barely moved for the past hour. "Telling me I am saving the whole world… makes this seem so much more complicated than it needs to be." Chris looked at Borus anew, not as the haughty, headstrong knight who would do anything in fury's name, but as a man who appreciated the better things in life, one who thought much more than she had first realized.

"A year ago," she said almost absently, "you never would have done this." Borus laughed quietly.

"Percival had a little talk with me before he left with his battalion. He too said I have changed. Is it really so much this past year? I think not. I think it has been these past few weeks that have changed me." Now it was Chris's turn to laugh.

"Tell me, Borus, what has changed you in these past few weeks." His face grew serious.

"Once… twice… three times… Six times, Chris, I have almost lost you six times in the past few weeks. Once in 'del Zexay, once when we first entered the Grasslands, once when Louis was taken hostage, once when you were tortured instead of I, once when Geo attacked us… once when I almost lost myself…" Chris was suddenly choked with tears, looking down at her hand. "But each time, you returned. I am thankful for that."

"Borus…" she whispered. He moved his horse closer to hers, and lifted her chin with a gloved hand. Again, as he did what seemed like forever ago, he looked into her eyes. Again he saw her happiness, anger, pain, and sorrow. But as he looked further into her eyes, he saw what had been hidden only weeks ago, as they sat on the beach… the feeling that was so much larger then the rest. He saw love; love for her friends and family, love for her country, love for her world, love for little things like warm baths and long horse rides. And then he saw himself. He blinked.

Chris let loose a shaky sigh, removing his hand from her chin and holding it in her own. "Come back, okay?" she said, looking away. "I swear by the Goddess, Borus, if you do not return alive, I… I will pour your wine collection to the pigs." Borus gasped.

"Milady, you wouldn't!"

"I would," she said, her face serious, but eyes teasing. A loud squawk interrupted their conversation. Hugo had returned on Fubar from the battlefront. The duo landed a few feet from where their horses stood.

"Chris, Borus," Hugo greeted. "Our troops have engaged in battle. It's time for us to move out." Chris nodded, and with a sad, sidelong look at Borus, moved her horse off toward where her battalion stood waiting.

"Soldiers of Zexen!" she called. All turned and stood at attention. "Get ready. We march now."

……

The rain poured down. After only forty-five minutes of traveling, Chris's battalion came upon the battle. What she saw both amazed and frightened her. The United Army of thirty-five thousand soldiers was going all out on the bandit troops. Arrows flew, balls of flame and columns of water shot across the battlefield at every moment. Already, she saw dead soldiers, both of Chris's kin and bandit, littering the ground. The injured were being carried off to a makeshift hospital manned by Harmonian and Zexen doctors.

But what shocked her even more was the sheer size of the god that towered above them all. The beast fought with its tail. With swift swipes of the extensive appendage, hundreds of soldiers were sent flying. Where it flew by, torrents of wind were sent out, battering all who fought on the battlefield.

Her battalion skimmed the edges of the battlefield, avoiding as much enemy contact as possible. Any enemy that did get close was curtly shot down by the short row of archers within the battalion. But as they slowly made their way closer to the monster, it became apparent that conflict could no longer be avoided. When they came upon a small group of twenty bandit soldiers, Chris nodded to those around her and launched herself at them.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she cut her first bandit down. A sword came at her from the left, but her swiftness saved her as she signaled for her mare to sidestep and brought her sword up for the parry. She immediately swung around her opponent's weapon and caught the bandit in the shoulder. Looking around, she saw that the other bandits had already been taken care of by others within the battalion, and no one was injured.

With a signal from Chris, the battalion was back in formation, and again they moved toward the god. When they came within one mile of the beast's great feet, a large group of bandits were waiting for them. But as Chris moved into battle position, they held their hands up.

"Lady Chris," one called, "we are part of the bandit resistance. We're here to help." Out of nowhere, the three Deserters from the infiltration mission into the underground city galloped over, followed by Khith. One of the Deserters moved toward Chris.

"Chris, this man," he started, motioning to a bandit with a brown armband who seemed to be the leader of the resistance, "is Krick. He was the one who organized the resistance, and also knows the most about what's going on." Krick removed his mask as he approached.

But when he got close, Borus grew alarmed. "You!" he growled. "You were the one at camp that night, the night you killed Sir Marrot." Chris shot Borus a questioning look. "The night I was hit in the shoulder by a crossbow dart! It was you." Chris turned to look at Krick. Slung on the man's back was a double-bolt custom crossbow.

The bandit shook his head. "I did what I had to do to earn Geo's trust. If I hadn't done that, many more of your soldiers would be dead. You know by now Geo had the True Rune of Truth… any mistake in my thoughts and the resistance would have been discovered."

"I will vouch for Krick," Khith offered. The other Deserters nodded their assent.

"He helped all of us escape before Geo changed into that thing!" someone from the mass of the resistance called. Others shouted similar things. Borus eyed Krick cautiously.

Chris just shook her head. "For now, let bygones be bygones, we've no time for this."

"Indeed," Krick said. "Sir Borus, you can take my head when he is gone," he said, jabbing a hand toward the god. "Now, your plan is to stop that thing with an empty rune?" Hugo had joined the group, and upon hearing the question, nodded. "Then you need to know where to teleport it. I've worked with Geo on this for the past few months. If anyone knows the ins and outs of that thing, it would be me." The man's statement confirmed that Geo had been expecting this, and that what the bandit who abducted Louis told her was a lie given to him by Geo. The bandit picked up a small stick from the ground and drew a rough picture of the beast. He placed an 'X' on the beast's right hand. "This is where the True Water Rune is. You guys were probably thinking to put the empty rune in the left hand, correct?"

Chris nodded. "Would that not be the place where it would create the greatest imbalance?" Krick shook his head.

"You've forgotten one thing." To his picture, he added a long, windy structure. "The tail. The True Runes are spread everywhere in his body, since either of his hands can only hold one rune. To achieve the greatest imbalance, you should place the empty rune here." He marked an 'O' at the very tip of the tail." Hugo groaned.

"That's gonna be much harder to reach than a hand."

Krick nodded. "The resistance has prepared for this day. We will do our part in trying to keep his tail still. Special pressure points and such, ah… like acupuncture," he added, as a quick explanation. "We'll leave getting the empty rune into his tail to you." Chris, Hugo, and Borus nodded.

"Can my battalion be of any assistance?" Chris asked, motioning to the restless soldiers gathered behind her. Krick scanned them then nodded.

"We could use your archers. The rest of your soldiers should be sent to help with them," he said, pointing toward the mass of Zexen, Harmonian and Grassland soldiers. Chris nodded, turning to her battalion.

"You heard the man. All archers stand by. The rest of you, return to Salome to be assigned new positions. Thank you for your services." The soldiers saluted, a fist to their chest, and went their separate ways. Chris took a deep breath. The ground rumbled as the tail flew by a mile away.

She turned to Borus. He turned to her. They said nothing to each other. Finally, Borus nodded, and said "A pleasure working under you, milady. Till next we meet." He left her no time to respond, for he immediately turned to Hugo. Hugo was on Fubar in an instant, and as soon as Fubar was in the air, the griffon grabbed Borus around the chest with one great claw, and with a great thrust of wings, flew off toward the beast's great flailing tail.

Borus turned his head and watched Chris's figure grow smaller and smaller through the murky rain. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind buffeted him, throwing debris and water into his face. He turned his head to see Fubar narrowly avoid the monster's huge tail.

"We've been seen!" he heard Hugo cry over the roar of the wind. Fubar did his best to fly through the air current. Finally, the whole of the tail had gone by. Below, the bandit resistance was beginning to move. Archers shot for special points on the beast's legs. Others literally began to scale the creature, and upon reaching certain points, they would ram swords, long swords, deep into the creature's flesh. The tail flew by again, and Fubar swerved to avoid collision. But the resistance's efforts were beginning to take effect. Like magic, the tail began to slow movement. Hugo recognized his chance. With quick direction to Fubar, the griffon swung down for the tail.

Borus absently grasped the pouch attached to his belt carrying the empty water rune. _This is it,_ he thought to himself. He closed his eyes, and began the chant of teleportation. Wind tousled his hair as Fubar increased his dive. The chant was complete. Borus felt the hum of energy going through his hand. He focused it on the empty rune, and waited. Time seemed to slow down as Fubar approached the tip of the god's tail, twenty feet thick at least. He thought about a lot of things. He thought about evening drinks with Percival. He thought about a walk through Vinay del Zexay's market. He thought about the smell of the ocean. He thought about legacies, and wondered, if he died, would he be remembered? Last, he thought about Chris. Time sped up again. Suddenly, Fubar released him. As planned, he drew his sword, and upon impact, smashed his sword into the beast's tail as far as it would go. The breath shot out of his lungs.

Without pausing, he drew a small dagger and rammed it in as well. It was his sword and dagger he held onto to keep himself from falling off. The monster, so far away yet so close, roared. It had finally figured out what was planned, and it had also realized, it would work. Borus, the energy from the chant focused on the empty rune, released the spell. The pouch at his belt glowed before becoming empty. The monster's roar was deafening. The rain came down in buckets, and Borus could not see.

But the monster was not defeated yet. _Kill you…_ Borus heard it say. _I'll kill the one who ended this_. Suddenly, the god's tail started moving violently. Down below, where the resistance was at work, calls of alarm shot out. The monster's tail would no longer stay still. It thrashed, smashing into the ground, then back straight into the air, sideways, curling then straightening, back to smash into the ground again.

The last thing Borus heard was the monster, shouting, _I'll kill you all!_ And the last thing he saw was a huge shockwave erupting from the monster… twenty-seven bright lights shooting out… one light following him… and then all was dark.

_He had a dream… he was flying…_

………

Concluded in chapter 17. As always, feedback is appreciated. Till next time, guys.


	17. Wine for the Pained

………

Chapter 17: Wine for the Pained

Percival paced his room in Brass Castle. He could not stop pacing, no matter what he tried. He was attempting to straighten his thoughts, to understand what was going on. Finally, a notion, a useful one, came to him. _Borus… _At the thought of the man's name, his feet stopped moving. Percival's fist met the wall… once, twice, three times, before the man crumbled to his knees on the hard stone floor, choked in misery. _Borus! Damn it, Borus!_ He sobbed, letting his bruised fist collide with the stone once more.

At Percival's door, about to knock, Salome lowered his hand, hearing the man's grief through the walls of the great castle. He sighed quietly, attempting to control his own emotions, before moving down the hall. Upon reaching his next destination, he raised his hand slowly before bringing it down on the wooden door three times.

"Milady… may I come in?" There was no answer. "Milady?" Still no answer. "I am entering, milady." With that, Salome opened the door to Chris's chamber. "Milady?" He stepped into her bedchamber, but was surprised to see no one there. The sheets on the bed were neat, the desk chair tucked nicely under the desk, as if Chris had not even been there.

As he left the room, he met Roland, walking down the hallway. "Roland, have you any idea as to where Lady Chris is?" The stern elf nodded.

"She is attending a meeting with the councilors." He paused. "It looks as though it is serious. The councilors are trying to get her dismissed from duty." Salome did not bother to hide his surprise before realizing the reason.

"She did not consult the council before taking her actions in the Grasslands… oh my, this could be quite unpleasant…"

Roland walked past Salome, saying quietly as he passed, "Do not worry. Lady Chris is an avid reader."

Salome watched the elf's departing back. _What did he mean by that?_

……

"Don't you see, councilors, I had no _time_ to return to Zexen for orders, or even send a messenger. We were facing––"

"You've no proof of that, Miss Lightfellow. You directly violated Zexen's Code, the code you swore by when you became captain," declared Councilor Ghent, obviously pleased with himself.

"Besides," Fraunz said, "I've heard there was actually no monster." Chris's eyes grew wide as she stared at Fraunz in horror, shaking her head. "One of my advisers informed me that this was a plight for you to gain glory, Miss Lightfellow. There was no battle, was there?" Chris shook in fury.

"I have held my tongue to you people for _far_ too long. You dare try to take this and make it nothing? You dare try and mock those who died because of that monster? Six _thousand_ soldiers died out there, not even all Zexen, to save your hides, and you try and make it nothing? How can you deny their deaths?"

"P-Please, Miss Lightfellow, do quiet down––" Sehnto tried, but he was immediately cut off.

"No, Councilor, beg your pardon, but _you_ quiet down. I will no longer take your foolery, your play. You make a mockery of politics, gentlemen," she said, spitting the last word in a rage, "all of you. How do you sleep at night, knowing the lives you have wasted, knowing the horrors you have caused people in the past, all for your games, all for you money. Well no more, Councilors. Under Document 17, Paragraph 6 of the Code, I hereby am expelling each and every one of you with sufficient proof for suspicion of corruption among the High Council."

"Y-you can't do that!" Fraunz sputtered, standing along with a few other councilors. Chris's fist on the table silenced them all.

"I can, gentlemen. Have you read your own Code? Your country has nearly eight thousand troops who will support me when I say your fraud has gone on long enough. Good _day_, gentlemen. You are dismissed." The door to the Council room opened, and three marshals, each present on the battlefield the day before, stepped in the room.

"You heard the Captain," one marshal barked at the flabbergasted men. The Councilors, not believing what happened, were one by one removed from the building. Some kicked and fussed, while others simply looked grim. Chris breathed deeply. She looked up as Salome entered the now empty Council room. A smile was on his face.

"I never thought I would see the day, milady. And I have never been more delighted that you took the time to read the fine print in the Code. You do realize, however, that you are now in charge until a new Council is elected?" Chris nodded.

"I am all too aware of that, Salome." She sighed, knowing there would be much work for her. The strategist turned for the door, but looked back.

"Let me help you with that, milady. Take all the time you need to relax, as it has been, to say the least, a stressful month for you. I will take care of everything." Chris turned to protest, but Salome was already gone.

…… A/N: At this time, if you want some real mood for this next part, please look on the bottom of my profile for a music link. Recommended you read slowly.

Evening found Chris wandering down the empty streets of Vinay del Zexay. Before long, her feet had taken her to the sandy, untouched beach where Borus had taken her long ago. Sitting herself down in the sand, she looked down at the bottle of Borus's wine she had been carrying. "Here's to you, Borus…" Removing her boots, she stood, stepping into the cool water with her bare feet and wading in to her knees. She did not try and stop the tears that streamed down her face as she popped the cork on the bottle. Slowly, she began to pour the wine into the ocean. "To you, my love…" she whispered.

The fluid seemed to glide from the bottle, and in the evening light, meld with the ocean water to create a spiraling cloud of color. Chris's tears gathered at her chin before dropping into the colorful water. It seemed as though many minutes passed before the bottle was even half empty. _Good,_ Chris thought. _A drop for every bit you're worth_. _Let the ocean know who you were, and let all those that see it remember you_.

She heard a noise in the water, and looked up. The wine bottle dropped from her hand into the swirling water. Wading toward her, wet, exhausted, dehydrated, but alive, was Borus. He stopped. Wind swept down and caressed her short hair. She could only stare; she could not bring herself to move. Borus was the first to stir. He approached her, slowly.

"I am… going crazy…" Chris whispered. _How…?_ Borus laughed, despite himself.

"You are not crazy, Chris. The monster, it threw me all the way to the ocean." As if suddenly remembering something, he held up his hand. In the darkening light, Chris could barely make out a symbol. The True Truth Rune. "… It followed me, it saved me…" She could not believe her eyes, but she knew she wanted to.

Without thinking twice, Chris threw herself at him, and he welcomed her with open arms, holding the woman he had thought unbreakable close. Swaying her back and forth, he let her cry into his chest. "Borus…" she sobbed. He smiled into her hair.

_You say I have changed, Chris…_ he thought. _But you have changed too_. Out loud, in a whisper that only she would hear, he said something he had been meaning to say for a long time.

……

When Percival heard the knock at his door, he shouted, "Be gone! I do not wish to speak with anyone." He had long since retired to his bed, attempting to sleep. When the knocking persisted, Percival stood from his bed moving toward the door. "Leave me alone! I––" He opened the door and stopped talking. His tired, baggy eyes could not have been wider.

Borus looked at his friend with a look of surprise. "Dear Percy! What has gotten you in such a rut? Why, looks as though you have not had a drink in a good while." Borus held up a bottle of wine, with barely a quarter of it filled. Percival stood gawking. "Lady Chris told me she would pour it to the pigs, but I caught her pouring it to the ocean instead. Pity, that. Ah, but there is still some left." Borus put an arm around Percival and led him to a chair, sitting him down. From a drawer where he knew Percival kept his glassware, he took two wine glasses out and set them on the desk. He began to pour it into the first glass. "Pardon the taste. Chris let her hand slip, I'm afraid."

Percival began to shake where he sat. Borus took pleasure in seeing the usually smooth and always prepared Percy finally ill-equipped for a situation. He gave Percival a moment to catch up. The Knight of Gale bowed his head for a moment, before snapping his head up and glaring at Borus.

"_Damn_ you, Borus, damn you!" Borus chuckled to himself.

"Oh come now, Percival, I was miles out at sea attempting to swim back on a piece of driftwood I happened upon." Percival's glare burned through Borus's skull. "Oh, fine then, Percy, next time I am stuck out at sea I'll send you a letter or something. Now, drink some wine. It shall do you good." Still glaring, Percival picked up the wine glass and downed the entire thing in one gulp.

"Ugh, it's salty…"

……

"Thank you for your aid, gentlemen," Chris said, bowing slightly to the bandit resistance. "We hope you have a safe journey back to Holy Harmonia." Krick nodded his thanks and bowed back before turning away, motioning his men to follow.

Only one remained. "Lady Chris…" It was Khith, dressed in normal Harmonian garb. The man looked much different out of the bandit garb that Chris was used to him donning. She smiled at him.

"Something I can do for you, Khith?" The older man shifted.

"I have decided to… remain here, in Zexen. Harmonia was never for me. It was a reason I was so eager to believe they had wronged me in the first place. Now I know the truth, but I still believe my loyalty lies here. Also, I have always been searching for my older brother." He paused. "You see, I used to live in the Karayan village. My older brother took me there a while ago. But soon after, he sent me away to Harmonia. He said it was for my own safety." He paused. "He never did tell me much about his life. We grew up in Karaya, from what I remember. He was gone for a long time, and would only come back and visit once or twice a year. Then one day, he showed up, saying he was staying for good. It was after that that me made me go to Harmonia."

"You believe your older brother is still here?" Chris asked, looking at Khith with interest.

"Yes, actually. Perhaps you have heard of him. His name is Jimba." Chris blanched. Khith noticed this, but said nothing.

"Khith, come to my room. I have a few things to tell you."

……

A few hours later, the six knights, whole again, and Louis entered the tavern. Salome, Roland, Chris and Borus sat at one table, while Percival, Louis and Leo sat at another. Leo launched into a loud talk about how well Louis's black eye was healing up.

"So tell me," Borus said, addressing the three others at the table. "What happened to the monster?" Salome shrugged.

"Back from whence it came, I suppose," the strategist offered. "After the True Runes separated from it, it imploded, then simply disappeared."

"And Geo?" Borus asked, waving to the bartender for drinks.

Roland looked to Borus. "I among other scouts located his corpse. We gave it to the Harmonians, as they felt the most responsible." Salome nodded his agreement.

"It turns out Harmonia was encouraging trade and travel to Tinto. The heads of their government were getting complaints of overpopulation. In reality, there was no problem with overpopulation; it was all Geo's handiwork."

"He truly had things worked out," Chris mused. The waiter brought their drinks over. "Of course, he also led the Councilors to their downfall."

"So I've heard," Borus said, smiling at Chris. Salome chuckled, noting the smile.

"Now that someone has finally taken a stand against the Councilors," he said happily, pausing for a sip of his drink, "many people are stepping forward and complaining about things they have done. We have so much proof of their corruption that they haven't a chance to defend themselves. I suppose we owe it all to Chris and her reading habits."

Chris rolled her eyes, but laughed, taking a sip of her drink. "I will tell you one thing, they purposely make the Code unexciting so that you _do not_ read the fine print." At this Salome and Borus chuckled.

Roland set his glass down on the table. "Perhaps it is finally time for Zexen to turn a new leaf."

"Indeed," Borus agreed. "A new rule should be supplied to the Code, one that allows army officials to root through the candidates and dispel those who have questionable or obviously fraudulent backgrounds."

Salome brightened at the idea. He turned his gaze to Chris. "Milady?" She looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Milady, you are in charge. Should you order it, this rule, with perhaps minor alterations, could be added to the Code." Chris laughed.

"Salome, it looks as though my power has gone to your head." She thought for a moment. "Very well, I will read that awful Code again and make a few changes, _with_ the agreement of the army officials." Salome nodded, pleased.

"Very good, milady."

Borus stood. "I propose a toast!" he called quite suddenly. Leo, Louis, and Percival looked over from the other table. Leo raised his glass.

"A toast to who, dear Borus?" Percival asked, raising his glass slightly as well.

"To two people," he said. "First, to our Goddess, Lady Chris, who has never led so well in her life as she did in the past month. Thanks to her, we live today."

Chris rolled her eyes at the highly modest statement, but smiled as everyone repeated, "To Lady Chris." The Six Knights took a sip. Louis stared longingly at the alcoholic beverages before taking a sip of his ginger-ale.

Borus's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Second I raise my glass to Louis. Never before have I heard such a wonderful rendition of I'm a Little Tea Pot." The knights roared with laughter. Louis blushed. Even Roland allowed a small smile to pass his lips.

Chris watched the merry group with new eyes. Her wall, her façade, had crumbled with Borus's words of love. They still resonated through her and filled her with something she had lost with her father's death. She no longer felt alone. These were her friends, this was her family… And for the first time in a long time, she felt happy, truly happy.

Borus had moved off to sit at the other table. Chris smiled as Leo offered Louis some beer. "Lady Chris." Salome's voice startled her. She turned in her chair to look at the strategist.

She let her curiosity show. "What is it, Salome?"

"What do you have planned, if I may ask? What will you do now? It would be your chance to leave the army." Chris shook her head.

"I will not leave this army, Salome. My place is here. Perhaps, in years to come, I will settle down," she said, her gaze wandering to the blonde knight engaged in a quarrel of words with Percival. Salome hid his smirk with a hand. "As for plans in the near future, tomorrow I am due to have tea with Herman. Apparently, he has much to tell me about my father. And Dupa spoke of a joint council between the Haromonians, Zexen, the Grasslanders, and Tinto. I suppose I'll have a talk with Thomas as to how to set such a thing up." Salome nodded, then sighed.

"It has been a long month." Roland said, quite out of the blue. Chris looked from the elf to the depths of her mug.

"Goddess knows what we would do, should such a thing happen again. First Luc, then Geo…" Salome laughed.

"Ah, milady, you worry far too much about things to come. Luc came along, and was efficiently dealt with. Geo followed, and was taken care of as such. If something should happen, I am sure the Silver Maiden of Zexen will step in and hatch a wonderful plan to stop any and all evil, as she has previously done. You are quite the Goddess, Lady Chris."

Chris pouted. "Not you too, Salome." The strategist chuckled and took a sip from his mug.

"What can I say, milady, you live up to the name. A woman whose sword is stronger than ocean waves and leads a powerful army in the name of justice… what better description of a Goddess have you?"

Chris shook her head. "That is high praise from you, dear Salome. Sometimes I wonder if everyone is out to get me." Salome only smiled in response, finishing all but one sip of his beer. He stood, raising his glass high.

"One more toast, friends." The six others quieted. "I propose a toast to all of Zexen and her people." He paused. "They make damned good beer." With that, he downed the last sip.

………

THE END.

Hope you guys enjoyed it, I had fun writing it. I will eventually be taking down all the chapters and reposting each as I edit any errors I find, so the story won't be marked as finished. I may be changing little bits of the plot, so feel free to relive it as it's reposted.

Also, eventually, I'll be starting a new story, though about what I have yet to find out, hehe. But I do have some ideas in this twisted head of mine. So there's that to look forward to.

Special thanks to celeste9, Aeonian Dreams, Virtue, pikinanou, Lily (Lena) Evans, StickyRice, Cathy7, Zafara, and Widower for lots o' feedback and inspiration. You guys are the greatest. An extra cookie goes out to Zafara, who poked me at some point and reminded me I had a mob of angry reviewers ready to attack. Another special thanks to celeste9, who always corrected my mistakes for me. And one last cookie to Aeonian dreams who over all had the longest reviews. I think.

Responses:

Aeonian Dreams: I'd tell you if he was dead or not but a) you probably already know by this point and b) if you don't, you'll find out xD. And I'm glad you got the point of this story. I find that the makers of Suikoden could go a lot further with the depth of Borus's personality. Of course, I also know they had 108 other people to deal with, but hey, I believe in quality over quantity. If your going to use 108 characters, you sure as heck better be able to exploit each to their full potentials. That's my opinion, anyway. Oh, and do you have aim or msn or yahoo etc.? I'll eventually be looking for some pointers on my next story, and where better to look for help then a fellow Suikoden fan? Thanks for your continuous support.

Virtue: Hahaha, remember your first review, how you made it clear that you weren't a Chris-Borus fan? Heh, well, I wonder if that's changed a bit. Anyway, thanks for your reviews. Hope you'll be around for my next story.

celeste9: Welllll, Geo's first name was originally supposed to be Garth, and his last name Wildrow… so no, it wasn't intended -. But, now that you mention it, yes, I suppose Mr. Big Geo had a rather large Girth. And not to worry, betchya I'm a bigger nerd than you, hehe. Thanks for the grammar check… only two? Wow, either the errors are sneaky or that was complete luck. Again, thanks for sticking with me, don't know what I would have done without your support. You also have the honor (pfff, don't know how much honor is there, but…) of being asked for a screen name in aim or yahoo or msn or so on… It'd be interesting talking to you guys (you and Aeonian Dreams) in person-ish… yeah. So anywho, thanks for the constant support. And check the update page for my story… which should appear sometime in the next… year. Till next time.

Thanks for reading, guys! And girls. And whatever comes in between, over, and under… yeah. Thanks!


End file.
